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PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


BX    9225    .R54   J3    1887 

James  Robertson  of  Newingtd 


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M'' 


JAMES    EOBEETSON 


OF     NEWINGTON, 


H  /iDemodal  of  bis  Xltc  anb  Moi1?. 


WITH  A  PREFACE  BY  THE  LATE 
Rkv.  JOHN  KEE,  D.D. 


EDINBURGH : 
ANDREW  ELLIOT,   17  PRINCES  STREET. 

1887. 


INTRODUCTORY  NOTE. 


Owing  to  various  circumstances,  this  Memoir,  with 
other  records  of  Mr.  Eobertson's  life,  has  been  delayed 
longer  than  was  at  one  time  expected.  But  it  is 
believed  that  those  who  knew  him  will  open  it  with  a 
loving  interest,  and  complete  in  their  own  memory  the 
portrait  which  is  here  faintly  sketched.  And  while  it 
is  sadly  felt  how  little  words  can  do  to  take  the  place 
of  departed  life  to  those  who  did  not  know  him  per- 
sonally, it  is  yet  hoped  that  even  by  such  there  may 
be  felt  some  small  measure  of  that  influence  for  good 
which  was  so  often  experienced  from  contact  with  one 
who  was  always  intent  on  his  great  errand,  and  full 
of  sympathy  for  the  souls  of  men  in  his  endeavour  to 
win  them  for  his  Master. 

The  Address  on  Flowers  in  the  Memoir,  and  the 
Sermons  to   Children  subjoined,  are  given  under  con- 


VI  INTRODUCTORY    NOTE, 

siderable  disadvantage.  They  have  been  copied  from 
notes  partly  in  shorthand,  at  times  somewhat  frag- 
mentary, and  not  prepared  with  a  view  to  publication. 
The  difficulty  of  transcription  has  been  a  hindrance 
in  the  way  of  comparison  and  selection ;  and  those 
who  read  them  will  miss  the  interjected  thoughts  and 
breathings  which  sometimes  formed  the  most  striking 
features  in  his  discourses.  Notwithstanding  these 
drawbacks,  it  has  been  thought  good  to  give  some 
specimens  of  his  mode  of  address  to  children,  as 
whatever  came  from  him  bore  the  stamp  of  his  own 
heart  and  spirit. 

A  debt  of  gratitude  is  due  to  those  friends,  men- 
tioned elsewhere,  who  have  so  cordially  contributed 
their  individual  experience  of  their  intercourse  with 
Mr.  Robertson,  to  the  Rev.  Andrew  Carter  for  much 
valued  counsel  and  help,  and  to  all  those  who  have 
kindly  lent  letters,  or  otherwise  aided  in  the  prepara- 
tion of  this  volume. 

It  is  touching  to  feel  that  one  who  had  an  interest 
in  these  pages,  and  to  whom  we  owe  much,  is  no 
longer  with  us.  Dr.  Ker's  sudden  call  came  while 
this    volume  was    passing    through   the   press.       His 


INTRODUCTORY    NOTE.  Vll 

tender  words  here  will  linger  with  us,  while  it  is  some 
consolation  to  know  that,  in  her  great  loss,  the  Chris- 
tian Church  is  not  left  without  what  may  now  l)e 
regarded  as  a  parting  gift  of  enriching  thought  from 
his  pen,  in  other  volumes. 

M.  H.  M. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Preface,        .......       xi 

CHAPTER    I. 
Home  and  Parentage,        .  .  .  .  .1 

CHAPTER    II. 
Boyhood,        .......        9 

CHAPTER    III. 

At  Glasgow  University,    .  .  .  .  .18 

CHAPTER    IV. 
Days  of  Waiting,    .  .  .  .  .  .41 

CHAPTER    V. 

The  Divinity  Student,       .  .  .  .  .60 

CHAPTER    VI. 
Preacher  and  Evangelist,  .  .  .  .71 

CHAPTER    VII. 
Ministry  in  Musselburgh,  .  .  .  .84 

CHAPTER    VIII. 

Edinburgh — Duncan  Street,         .  .  .  .112 


X  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    IX.  PAGE 

Pastoral  ^Vork  and  Home  Life,  .  .  .  .146 

CHAPTER    X. 
Cloud  and  Suxshixe,         .  .  .  .  .     1G9 

CHAPTER    XL 
Grange  Road,  .  ,  .  .  .  .190 

CHAPTER    XI  L 
New  Ties  and  Wider  Service,     ....     203 

CHAPTER    XII L 
Family  Bereavements,        .  .  .  .  .     216 

CHAPTER    XIV. 
'Clouds  after  Rain,'  .....    236 

CHAPTER    XV. 
Eventide,       .......     254 

CHAPTER    XVL 
Home,  .......     277 


Short  Sayings,         ......  289 

Extracts  from  Letters,     .....  299 

Sermons  to  Children,        .....  307 

Extracts    from    an    Address    given    at    an   Annual 

Meeting  of  the  Tract  Society  in  1873,         .  .  343 

'  Love  Divine,  all  Love  Excelling,'        .  .  .  347 


PREFACE. 


We  are  crlacl  that  this  memoir  is  to  come  into  the 
jjossession  of  the  general  public.  It  will  be  lovingly 
welcomed  by  all  who  had  a  personal  knowledge  of  the 
subject  of  it,  and  it  will  help  to  extend  an  influence 
which  belongs  to  those  the  poet  speaks  of — 

'  Stillest  streams  oft  water  fairest  meadows.' 

Yew  ministries,  which  have  diffused  such  a  healing 
and  fruitful  power,  have  been  so  noiseless  in  their 
course ;  and  one  is  reminded  of  the  links  of  the  Forth, 
on  which  his  native  home  looked  down,  winding  out 
and  in,  calm  and  seemingly  motionless,  but  all  the 
more  bringing  refreshment  to  many  a  field. 

He  belonged  to  a  family  remarkable,  both  in  parents 
and  children,  for  an  uncommon  degree  of  Christian 
devotion  and  intelligence,  with  a  faculty  of  sight  and 
feeling  peculiar  to  themselves,  and  rising  in  more  tlian 
one  case — in  one  very  specially,  still  remaining  among 
us  ^ — to  the  vision  and  faculty  divine  which  is  called 
genius. 

•  The  Rev.  W.  B.  Robertson,  D.D.,  who  died  27th  June  1SS6. 


XU  PREFACE. 

A  few  of  the  more  marked  features  of  the  character 
of  the  man,  and  of  his  ministry,  may  be  of  some  little 
service  as  a  summary  of  what  is  told  in  the  memoir, 
and  they  have  this  value  at  least,  that  they  are  not  so 
much  drawn  from  it,  as  that  they  are  the  independent 
witness  of  one  who  knew  him  well  for  many  years. 

The  first,  and  indeed  the  pervading  feature  in  him 
was  this,  that  the  ministry  was  the  natural  and 
necessary  outcome  of  the  man — that  the  man  was 
constantly  the  minister.  Not  that  he  was  thinking 
of  the  office,  and  girding  himself  up  to  its  duties,  still 
less  to  its  officialism  and  proprieties,  but  that  he  was 
throughout  his  life,  public  -and  private,  the  minister 
of  Christ  to  the  souls  of  men.  Made  as  he  was  by 
nature  and  by  grace,  his  ministry  was  himself.  From 
the  very  beginning,  when  his  heart  was  touched  by 
the  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  he  would  be  nothing  else 
than  a  Christian  minister.  In  his  earliest  years  his 
eye  was  bent  on  preparation  for  the  ministry,  and, 
when  he  began  it,  on  to  the  close  of  his  life,  he  was 
occupied  in  the  fulfilment  of  its  service,  not  apparently 
by  an  effort  of  the  will,  but  by  the  spontaneous  move- 
ment of  his  heart.  We  may  reasonably  believe  that 
if  the  labour,  which  the  love  to  his  work  gave  him, 
may  have  in  some  way  weakened  his  health,  in 
another  and  higher  degree  it  strengthened  it  and 
added  to  his  years.  Before  he  began  to  preach,  and 
often  afterwards,  he  might  say,  'As  dying,  and  behold 
we  live.'      An  object  to  live  for  helped  him  to  keep 


PKEFACE.  Xlll 

hold  of  life.  If  there  be  anything  in  mind-healing  it 
is  that  a  man  should  forget  himself  and  go  out  to 
some  absorbing  aim  ;  and  those  who  saw  him  at  times 
utterly  prostrated,  and  then  rising  and  '  walking  and 
leaping  and  praising  God,'  could  not  help  thinking  of 
the  beautiful  gate  of  the  temple,  and  of  a  greater  than 
Peter,  whose  eye  he  had  caught  and  whose  hand  he 
had  grasped,  till  the  vision  of  Him  and  His  service, 
'  out  of  weakness  made  him  strong.' 

It  was  this  same  spirit  which  gave  him  the  peculiar 
influence  he  had  with  his  own  people.  They  felt  that 
he  was  a  minister  of  Christ,  not  only  when  he  was  in 
the  pulpit,  or  at  the  prayer-meeting,  l3ut  always  and 
everywhere.  He  could  not  meet  them  without  leav- 
ing something  behind,  which  told  them  what  was 
nearest  his  heart,  and  made  them  feel  he  was  '  watch- 
ing for  souls.'  It  was  not  done  in  any  forced  or  far- 
fetched way,  but  by  a  quiet  word  or  fitting  incident, 
which  left  a  fragrance  like  the  ointment  of  the  right 
hand  —  carried  about  and  communicated  when  his 
hand  touched  theirs.  He  had  great  skill  in  this, 
whicli  belonged,  no  doubt,  to  his  original  character, 
but  which  came  also  from  his  habitual  purpose — '  This 
one  thing  I  do.'  He  had  become  wise  in  winning; 
souls,  from  a  deep  persuasion  that  he  is  wise  who 
seeks  to  win  them.  And  this  also  made  his  ministry 
very  wide.  More  than  most  he  '  walked  in  wisdom 
toward  those  that  are  without,  redeeming  the  time.' 
There  were  very  few  with  whom  he  came  into  more 


XIV  PEEFACE. 

than  the  slightest  contact,  who  could  complain  that 
no  man  cared  for  their  soul.  When  he  was  travelling 
by  railway,  or  walking  in  a  country  road,  or  entering 
a  house  on  a  casual  errand,  he  was  looking  out  for 
opportunities  for  dropping  a  seed-word.  We  never 
heard  that  any  took  his  speech  amiss  ;  often  it  happened 
that  he  found  a  place  waiting  for  it.  They  could  not 
mistake  his  motive,  and  they  were  won  by  his  manner. 
There  are  more  waiting  to  be  spoken  to  in  this  way, 
if  ministers  had  the  courage  and  the  aptitude — if  they 
approached  men  in  a  natural  human  way.  He  seemed 
to  have  the  three  great  requisites — he  kept  before 
him  his  Master's  aim,  he  had  a  large  portion  of  his 
Master's  spirit,  and  he  had  studied  his  Master's 
methods.  They  arc  all  contained  in  the  words  of 
Christ  Himself,  '  As  Thou  hast  sent  me  into  the  world, 
so  have  I  also  sent  them  into  the  world.' 

We  have  put  this  spirit  of  his  ministry  first,  because 
we  believe  it  went  through  all  his  work,  and  gave 
it  its  peculiar  character.  His  Christian  personality 
might  be  described  as  that  of  one  who  was  seeking 
to  keep  close  to  the  person  of  Christ,  and  to  bring 
others  to  the  same  position.  His  preacliing  was 
evangelical  to  the  core.  The  doctrines  of  the  gospel 
were  present  in  every  fibre  and  filament  of  it,  but 
they  were  never  separated  from  Christ's  own  person, 
and  thus  faith  rose  into  love  and  reverence  and  trust. 
The  alabaster  box  of  the  heart  was  broken  in  His 
presence,  and  He  was  the  Master  at  every  feast.     The 


PREFACE.  XV 

seven  golden  candlesticks  of  truth  were  lighted,  but 
the  Lord  Jesus  was  always  seen  in  the  midst  of  them, 
and  His  own  hand  was  felt  as  He  said,  '  Fear  not ;  I 
am  He  that  liveth  and  was  dead ;  and  behold  I  am 
alive  for  evermore.'  The  warmth  of  personal  affection 
with  which  all  the  aspects  of  Christ's  life  and  character 
were  dwelt  on,  the  tone,  and  look,  and  manner  which 
said,  '  This  is  my  beloved,  and  this  is  my  friend,'  gave 
to  his  preaching  its  distinguishing  fragrance  and 
unction.  It  was  in  the  line  of  descent  from  that  of 
Samuel  Eutherford,  and  Andrew  Gray  of  Glasgow, 
and  Thomas  Halyburton,  and  Ealph  Erskine,  and  had 
their  characteristic  of  the  fancy  set  on  fire  by  the 
heart,  and  sparkling  and  burning  with  a  gleam  and 
glow  of  originality.  Bible  histories  came  out  with 
new  life,  texts  were  quoted  in  connections  which 
revealed  new  sides  of  meaning,  and  figures  of  crystal- 
like beauty  rose  with  a  sudden  surprise,  not  for 
ornament,  and  not  elaborated,  but  to  reflect  Him 
whom  he  wished  to  commend,  and  then  to  pass  away 
before  His  presence.  He  was  not  what  is  called  a 
philosophical  preacher,  or  logical  in  the  sense  of  pro- 
ceeding by  links  of  argument,  and  so  some  reckoned 
him  deficient  in  unity;  but  there  is  a  unity  of  the 
heart  as  well  as  of  the  mind,  the  unity  of  a  psalm  as 
well  as  of  a  set  of  syllogisms,  and  this  he  had.  He 
brought  his  hearers  into  a  imison  of  feeling  and 
impulse,  which  is  surely  the  great  end  of  preaching. 
Neither  let  it  be  thought   that   his    sermons  wanted 


XVI  PREFACE. 

method.  His  pearls  were  not  jointed  into  one  another, 
which  would  have  been  against  their  nature,  but  they 
were  strung,  and  arranged  in  divisions,  which  had 
headings,  frequently  of  a  very  felicitous  kind.  He 
was  fond  of  alliteration  and  antithesis,  and  this,  with 
his  striking  illustrations,  made  his  preaching  remark- 
ably memorable.  At  seasons  when  strongly  moved, 
all  unconscious  to  himself,  his  voice  rose  and  fell  into 
a  musical  cadence,  which  kept  time  to  his  subject,  and 
brought  his  hearers  into  closer  sympathy.  It  had 
come  down  from  the  old  style  of  the  Secession  and 
Puritan  period,  if  it  was  not  earlier,  but  it  belonged 
not  less  to  his  own  emotional  nature. 

He  had,  however,  strong  affinity  for  all  that  is  best 
in  the  new  life  of  the  Church,  and  especially  for 
interest  in  the  young,  one  of  the  most  hopeful  features 
of  our  time.  His  happy  nature  and  his  faculty  of 
illustration  fitted  him  especially  for  dealing  with  them. 
The  saying  of  the  old  Greek  moralist,  '  Speak  nothing 
base  in  the  house  where  there  is  a  child,'  was  turned 
by  him  to  a  positive  precept.  Never  fail  to  speak 
what  is  loving  and  Christian.  At  the  sight  of  the 
children  in  the  family  his  eye  brightened,  and  he  had 
them  round  him,  first  for  their  own  sakes,  and  then 
as  the  best  way  of  reaching  the  other  members  of  the 
household.  When  he  preached  in  his  own  church,  or 
indeed  anywhere,  he  always  remembered  the  children's 
portion,  and  at  intervals  he  had  his  entire  service  for 
them.     In  this  he  was  not  the  first  in  time,  but  he 


PPvEFACE.  XVI] 

did  much  to  mnke  it  more  general,  and  to  give 
examples  of  the  best  methods  of  performing  it.  He 
was,  we  believe,  excelled  by  none  and  ecj^ualled  by  few. 
It  was  not  merely  the  fixed  attention  he  secured  in 
large  gatherings,  for  this  is  only  a  means — it  was  the 
amount  of  Christian  truth  he  conveyed  in  the  most 
attractive  and  impressive  manner.  In  his  own  church, 
the  portion  for  the  young,  sometimes  at  the  close, 
sometimes  scattered  through  the  service,  was  not  the 
least  valued  by  the  more  mature  hearers.  For  brother 
ministers  who  assisted  him,  the  request,  '  Ivemember 
the  lambs,'  was  seldom  forgotten,  and  was  the  means 
of  carrying  his  own  spirit  into  other  congregations. 
The  result  was  that  the  care  of  the  young  in  his 
church,  through  the  Sabbath  school,  and  in  the  mission 
district,  was  a  model  of  Christian  work.  He  breathed 
his  spirit  into  his  people  ;  he  was  never  happier  than 
when  surrounded  by  his  teachers  and  moving  through 
their  classes,  and  his  mind  was  much  employed  in 
ingenious  plans  for  interesting  the  children  in  Christian 
truth,  and  helping  them  to  remember  it.  In  this 
respect,  like  wisdom,  '  he  found  out  knowledge  of 
witty  inventions.'  It  would  take  too  long  to  tell 
here,  but  it  may  be  discovered  from  the  memoir,  how 
other  branches  of  work  were  carried  on.  He  was 
himself  an  assiduous  visitor  to  the  sick,  the  bereaved, 
the  lonely ;  but  tliere  were  agencies  which  penetrated 
tlie  congregation  in  all  directions,  to  help  them  in 
their  trials   and  guide   them   in   their  activities.      His 

h 


XVlll  PREFACE. 

principle  was  to  discover  the  aptitude  of  every  member 
for  taking  share  in  any  of  tlie  operations  of  the  church, 
and  to  enrol  them  accordingly.  The  community  was 
thus  like  a  piece  of  clock-work  with  all  the  wheels  in 
movement,  or  like  a  l)eehive  full  of  the  sights  and 
sounds  of  life.  Tlie  complaint  against  many  of  our 
Protestant  edifices  that  they  are  open  only  on  one  day 
of  the  week  and  closed  all  the  rest,  could  not  l)e 
made  against  his,  or  the  halls  and  rooms  connected 
with  it.  The  evening  lights  and  the  hum  of  voices 
gave  token  of  what  was  being  done  for  self-improve- 
ment or  work  for  fellow-men.  All  this  could  not  be 
carried  on  without  a  strong  central  fire  in  the  pulpit, 
and  a  constant  lighting  and  trimming  of  the  lamps  in 
the  departments  of  action.  It  spoke  to  an  intensity 
and  to  an  organizing  gift,  which  do  not  frequently 
meet  in  one.  The  effect  of  it  was  the  binding  of  his 
people  together  by  a  family  tie,  the  production  of  a 
kinship  of  character,  and  a  fulfilment  in  an  unusual 
degree  of  the  apostolic  injunction,  '  Not  forsaking  the 
assembling  together,'  and  a  '  provoking  to  love  and  to 
good  works.' 

One  thing  which  struck  those  who  knew  him 
intimately  was  the  constant  care  he  had  about  his 
work,  and  the  preparation  for  it.  To  furnish  provender 
for  the  household  of  faith  was  not  simply  the  business 
of  the  study  at  set  times,  but  the  engrossing  occupa- 
tion of  his  life.  He  was  never  without  his  note-book 
and  pencil,  to  jot   down  thoughts  which  occurred  to 


PREFACE,  XIX 

him,  or  incidents  which  could  be  turned  to  profit  in 
sermons,  or  classes,  or  even  for  individuals,  in  the  way 
of  cheer  and  comfort ;  for  he  really  individualized  his 
congregation,  and  studied  how  he  might  be  helpful 
to  them  one  by  one.  This  gave  point  to  his  preaching 
and  aim  to  his  prayers,  and  one  could  feel  that  he 
was  truly  seeking  to  learn  by  heart,  and  carry  out  in 
life,  that  beautiful  first  chapter  of  Philippians,  which 
strikes  the  deepest  chords  of  the  affection  a  Christian 
minister  should  bear  to  his  people :  '  For  God  is  my 
record,  how  greatly  I  long  after  you  all  in  the  bowels 
of  Jesus  Christ.  And  this  I  pray,  that  your  love  may 
abound  yet  more  and  more  in  knowledge  and  in  all 
judgment  ;  that  ye  may  approve  things  that  are 
excellent ;  that  ye  may  be  sincere,  and  without  offence, 
till  the  day  of  Christ.' 

Before  finishing  these  notices  of  his  puljlic  work, 
it  may  be  right  to  say  a  word  as  to  the  movements  in 
wliich  he  took  a  share  outside  his  own  congregation. 
It  may  be  owned  at  once  that  he  was  not  a  man  of 
war.  He  did  not  take  an  active  place  in  the  battles 
which  gather  round  great  questions  in  Church  or 
State ;  nor  was  his  voice  heard  much,  if  at  all,  in 
ecclesiastical  discussions.  He  had  his  decided  con- 
victions, and  was  not  afraid  to  own  them ;  and  he 
was  very  far  from  the  weak  narrowness  which  would 
condemn  Valiant  for  trutlo  as  secular -minded  and 
unspiritual.  He  had  a  great  esteem  for  the  resolute 
soldiers  who  can  '  rebuke  the  multitude  of  spearmen. 


XX  PREFACE. 

and  put  to  silence  the  lips  which  speak  grievous  things 
proudly  and  contemptuously ; '  but  blows  and  battles 
were  not  suited  to  his  temperament,  and  he  was  not 
found  sharing  in  the  throng  of  them.  Yet  he  had 
plenty  of  courage  in  his  own  way.  He  could  speak 
a  quiet  word  for  a  right  cause,  wliich  went  straight 
to  the  mark,  and  he  could  join,  when  conscience  was 
at  stake,  an  unpopular  movement  against  any  odds. 
The  abstinence  cause  had  no  steadier  adherent,  long 
before  it  had  taken  its  place  in  public  approval. 
He  was  faithful  to  it  in  the  face  of  the  smile  and  the 
sneer  which  met  it  in  its  youth ;  he  was  a  diligent 
worker  in  its  societies,  and  an  advocate  on  its  plat- 
forms. He  had  the  work  of  evangelization  at  heart 
in  all  its  forms,  and  welcomed  it  where  respectable 
profession  might  be  ready  to  frown,  or  to  pass  by  on 
the-  other  side.  It  did  one's  heart  good  to  mark  his 
delight  at  the  discovery  of  some-  humble  worker  for 
the  same  Master,  on  whose  track  he  had  fallen,  and 
the  quaintness  of  their  expressions  and  methods, 
which  he  would  describe  with  a  pleasant  humour, 
seemed  to  bind  them  closer  to  his  heart.  His  sketch 
of  Eobert  Flockhart,  the  Edinburgh  street  preacher, 
is  a  gem  of  its  kind,  and  that  somewhat  eccentric 
herald  of  the  gospel  had  no  warmer  friend.  The 
Conferences  which  it  is  now  the  custom  for  Christians 
to  hold  in  different  parts  of  the  country,  were  well 
acquainted  witli  his  face  and  his  voice.  He  visited 
them  as  some  seek  mountain  air  or  sea   breezes  for 


PREFACE.  XXI 

exhilaration  and  bracing.  He  was  one  of  the  first  to 
join  Mr.  Moody  in  his  apostolic  work,  and  in  his  visits 
to  Edinburo'h  he  uave  valuable  aid  in  dealing  with 
inquirers  at  his  meetings.  For  this  he  was  peculiarly- 
well  adapted.  He  had  deep  sympathy  with  the  work, 
a  great  affectionateness  of  nature,  a  clear  and  simple 
way  of  putting  Scripture  truth,  and  a  rare  knowledge 
of  the  human  heart  when  it  is  stirred  by  the  touch 
of  God's  Spirit.  Original  gift  and  long  experience 
had  made  him  a  spiritual  pathologist.  AVith  all  this 
— we  may  say  hccavse  of  all  this — he  had  great 
delicacy  and  wisdom.  He  knew  when  to  stop  at 
the  door  within  which  God  asserts  His  own  claim, 
and  how  to  guide  the  soul  to  the  presence  of  its 
Maker  and  Lord  without  himself  intruding  there. 
On  one  occasion  when  a  zealous  worker  wished  to 
count  the  cases  of  conversion,  he  quietly  passed  the 
proposal  by,  and  gave  out  the  psalm  which  closes — 

'  Wlien  God  the  people  writes,  He'll  count 
That  this  man  boi'n  was  there.' 

For  many  years  he  continued  these  activities,  and 
it  was  surprising  to  all  who  knew  him,  and  would 
have  been,  at  first,  to  himself,  could  he  have  antici- 
pated it,  that  a  frame  originally  delicately  strung  and 
sensitive,  should  possess  such  powers  of  endurance. 
But  at  length  it  gave  way,  and  the  inability  to  carry 
on  the  work,  which  was  the  breath  of  his  life,  was, 
in  the  beginning,  a  sore  trial.  About  the  same  time 
family  Ijereavement   fell  on  him,  heavy  and  repeated. 


XXU  PREFACE. 

His  wife,  who  had  been  his  strength  and  solace  in  all 
his  work,  a  woman  of  remarkable  wisdom  and  devout- 
ness,  was  taken  from  him,  and  three  daughters  in 
succession,  in  the  first  bloom  of  a  beautiful  Christian 
womanhood.  There  was  hope  that  the  youngest  might 
be  spared  through  the  help  of  a  southern  climate,  and 
he  spent  a  winter  with  her  at  San  Eemo  in  the  Italian 
liiviera.  They  were  attracted  by  the  prospect  of  use^ 
fulness :  he,  in  preaching  and  visiting  among  the 
English-speaking  residents,  and  in  touching  by  broken 
sentences  and  by  hymns  the  Italian  heart — which  is 
beginning  there  to  open  to  the  gospel ;  and  she,  in  the 
aid  she  might  be  able  to  give  to  the  mission  through 
the  service  of  song.  The  desire,  and  it  was  a  very 
deep  one,  was  all  she  was  allowed  to  give  ;  '  she  did 
what  she  could.'  Week  by  week  she  faded  away,  in 
the  most  beautiful  spirit  of  resignation,  and  when  the 
bright  anemones  and  all  the  flowers  of  spring  were 
on  the  hills,  she  died.  During  this  sorrowful  time, 
when  deep  was  calling  unto  deep,  and  the  fond  earthly 
hope  was  passing  over  tlirough  the  struggle  of  faith 
into  the  heavenly  one,  he  tended  her  with  the  one 
hand,  and  carried  on  his  work  with  the  other.  With- 
out this  preoccupation,  he  might  have  sunk  entirely, 
and  there  is  evidence  that  the  words  he  spoke  out 
of  his  great  trial  of  affliction  were  hot  without  the 
testimony  of  God's  Spirit.  He  was  a  comfort  to 
many,  and  the  means  of  new  life  to  some.  He  left 
his  daughter  there,  in  the  beautiful  cemetery  among 


PREFACE.  XXIU 

the  olive  trees,  close  to  the  murmur  of  the  Aiediter- 
ranean,  with  the  texts  she  most  loved  graven  on 
her  tomb,  in  Italian  and  English,  that  she  might 
speak  to  those  who  came  to  look  on  it,  and  carry 
out  in  death  the  mission  on  which  she  had  set 
her  heart.  The  place  is  a  fit  one  for  the  words  of 
the  poet — 

'Sing  softly,  spring  liird,  for  licr  sake  ; 

And  thou  not  distant  sea 
Lapse  lightly,  as  if  Jesus  spake, 
And  thou  Avert  Galilee.' 

I  saw  him  at  Paris  on  his  way  homeward,  and  have 
met  with  few  things  so  touching  as  the  narrative  of 
her  long,  self-forgetful  death-bed,  her  interest  in  the 
work  she  was  not  allowed  to  share,  her  strong  simple 
faith  and  bright  hope,  and  the  light  which  these 
sent  up  into  the  sky  for  him,  as  he  followed  in  the 
desolateness  of  his  heart.  The  anouish  he  felt  was 
tempered  and  softened  almost  to  a  removal,  as  he 
turned  his  eye  to  that  sunset  which  had  in  it  the 
promise  of  '  a  morning  without  clouds,  and  a  clear 
shining  after  rain.' 

We  may  give  a  few  of  the  expressions  contained  in 
his  letters  at  this  time,  as  an  example  of  his  state  of 
mind,  and  his  manner  of  speech.  If,  besides  those 
contained  in  this  memoir,  a  collection  of  similar 
sayings  could  be  made  from  his  sermons  and  addresses, 
we  believe  it  would  be  a  valuable  treasure  of  Christian 
experience,  containing  often  '  apples  of  gold  in  baskets 


XXIV  PREFACE. 

of  silver.'  One  of  his  first  letters  from  San  liemo 
begins,  '  They  of  Italy  salute  you.' 

When  nearing  the  New  Year,  '  Eound  the  cape  of 
this  season,  what  ships  of  memory  come  floating, 
freighted  with  loving  recollections  of  those  who  have 
reached  the  desired  haven,  and  the  golden  city.' 

'  What  though  our  way  be  hedged  on  every  side 
with  thorns,  if  it  keep  us  in  the  way  to  glory.' 

'  I  have  been  labouring  to  turn  away  my  eyes  from 
the  waves  to  the  Eock.' 

'  Neither  sun  nor  stars  for  a  good  long  time  have 
appeared,  but  we  are  casting  out  our  anchors  and 
longing  for  the  day.' 

'  He  walks  the  billows  with  us,  and  we  hear  Him 
say,  It  is  I.' 

'  Many  a  promise  written  in  sympathetic  ink  we 
cannot  read  till  the  fire  of  trial  brings  out  the 
characters.' 

'  The  farther  we  go  down  the  shaft  of  aftliction,  the 
deeper  are  we  led  into  the  gold  mines  of  spiritual 
experience.' 

'  If  Jesus  seems  to  sleep  in  our  vessel,  He  sleeps 
with  His  hand  on  the  helm,  and  will  steer  us  home- 
ward.' 

When  he  returned  to  Scotland,  he  could  not  resume 
work,  in  his  former  place  and  way,  in  Edinburgh. 
His  strength  had  failed  for  continuous  exertion,  and 
the  memories  that  met  him  brought  up  too  painful 
contrasts.      His    home,   which    had  been    filled   with 


PREFACE.  XXV 

happy  voices,  was  silent,  wliile  every  object  spoke  of 
his  losses,  and  he  had  a  heart  peculiarly  sensitive  to 
impressions.  He  had  now  a  colleague  well  fitted  to 
carry  on  the  care  and  w^ork  of  the  church,  and  he 
was  in  that  respect  free.  It  belonged  to  his  character 
that  he  could  not  be  idle,  and  he  had  too  high  an  idea 
of  the  purpose  for  which  life  is  given,  to  sit  down 
and  brood.  One  remarkable  feature  of  the  gospel  of 
Christ  is,  that  while  it  deepens  a  man's  sensitiveness, 
it  heightens  his  activity  ;  the  heart  has  keener  sorrows, 
but  more  aljundant  fruits  of  love.  During  what  re- 
mained of  life  he  never  rested.  Sabbath  after  Sabbath, 
and  week  after  week,  he  was  found  in  all  parts  of 
the  country  preaching  and  teaching,  with  the  special 
interest  he  had  always  taken  in  the  young,  now  more 
marked  than  ever,  as  if  he  wished  to  ado^jt  them  all 
in  the  room  of  those  he  had  los-t,  and  build  up  a  larger 
family  for  the  one  that  had  been  broken.  It  was 
what  an  old  Puritan  has  called, '  taking  a  noble  revenge 
on  death  for  the  losses  he  had  suffered  at  its  hand.' 
He  was  called  away  suddenly  with  his  foot  in  the 
furrow,  his  hand  on  the  plough,  and  his  eye  bent 
forward.  Xo  two  years  of  a  life  full  of  labour  were 
perhaps  so  fruitful  in  quickening  and  comfort  to  young 
and  old  as  his  last.  It  will  be  found,  we  believe,  true 
of  it  all,  but  especially  of  the  close,  '  He  that  goeth 
forth  and  weepeth,  bearing  precious  seed,  shall  doubt- 
less come  again  with  rejoicing,  bringing  his  sheaves 
with  him.' 


XXYl  PREFACE. 

We  can  only  say  again  that  we  are  glad  these 
memorials  are  to  be  brought  under  the  eye  of  the 
Christian  public,  all  the  more  that  his  life  was  to  a 
great  extent  a  hidden  one,  and  his  labours  not  carried 
on  in  what  are  called  '  the  high  places  of  the  field.' 
That  life  had  such  a  character  that  the  example  and 
lessons  of  it  should  have  permanence  beyond  the 
memories  of  those  who  knew  him.  To  them  the 
record  of  it  will  be  specially  welcome  as  a  fragrance 
that  blossoms  from  the  dust ;  but  we  trust  it  will 
reach  the  hands  of  many  more.  To  Christian  ministers 
it  may  be  a  stimulus  to  varied  and  unwearied  diligence, 
and  especially  to  the  truth  of  what  Philip  Henry  says, 
that  '  weeping  should  not  liinder  sowing.'  It  is  a 
great  encouragement  to  all  Christians  to  see  that  a 
life  of  much  trial  may  be  a  life  of  deep  happinass, 
'  as  sorrowful,  yet  alway  rejoicing.'  The  poet  has  said 
of  nature  when  he  compares  her  spring  labour  with 
her  autumn  fruits — 

'  She  sees  with  other  eyes  than  ours 

The  fruit  of  suffering  born  ; 
The  hearts  that  blossom  like  her  Howors, 
And  ripen  like  her  corn.' 

But  it  is  better  still  to  see  it  exemplified  in  human 
lives,  and  to  have  a  view  of  the  peaceable  fruits  of 
righteousness  that  spring  up,  not  only  after,  but 
beside  sore  aftiictions.  It  is  an  evidence  that  while 
we  are  moving  away  from  the  origin  of  the  gospel  in 
time,  we  are  always   as   near  its  spring  of   power,  and 


PREFACE.  XXVll 

that  the  Saviour,  who  left  His  legacy  many  centuries 
ago,  is  close  to  those  who  seek  Him,  as  a  personal 
Friend,  to  bring  home  its  provisions,  '  Peace  I  leave 
with  you.  My  peace  I  (jvve  unto  y<ni.'  The  life  of 
James  Eobertson  is  a  witness  to  it. 

John  Kei;. 


'  ISafjm  tfjcu  fjati  linti,  3fsus  saiHj  to  Simon  Prtrr,  Simon,  son 
of  3onas,  lobtst  tljou  fHc  morr  tijan  tljrsr  ?  l^r  sait|)  unto  |t?im, 
§f3,  ILorti ;  rfjou  iuxoSiirst  tijat  E  lobr  Cljrr.  ?Qf  saitlj  unto  fjim, 
JFfrt  fBu  Iambs. 

'  |i)r  saitl)  to  fjim  again  tijc  srconti  timr,  Simon,  son  of  3onas, 
lobrst  tijou  fHc?  %H  saitfj  unto  p?im,  gra,  Eorti ;  STljou  luioinrst 
tijat  C  lobe  iTijff.    l?f  saitl)  unto  \)m,  JFrrt  fRo  sijrrp. 

'li^r  saitl)  unto  ijim  tijr  tijirt  time,  Simon,  son  of  3onas,  lobcst 
tl)ou  fiflr?  i^ftfr  iuas  grirbrlJ  brcausr  |l?r  saili  unto  Ijim  tijc  tijirt 
timr,  Eobcst  tijou  fHt?  H^xO  \)c  saiH  unto  l!?im,  Eorti,  STfjou 
knobjfst  all  tilings ;  STIjou  hnotorst  tijat  E  lobr  JTIirr.  3rsus  saitlj 
unto  tjim,  JTrrU  fflg  sfjffp.' 


CHAI'TEli    I. 

Pfomt  ant)  Parentage. 

Upwards  of  seventy  years  ago,  on  a  wintry  Sabbath 
morning,  a  yonng  couple  on  horseback  were  seen 
wending  their  way  clown  the  long  sloping  road  above 
the  field  of  Bannockburn,  and  on  through  the  narrow 
village  of  St.  Ninians,  and  up  the  steep  romantic  walk 
liy  the  Castle  liock,  at  the  ringing  of  the  bells,  to  the 
old  historic  Church  of  the  Secession,  then  called  the 
'  ]>ack  Eow,'  and  now  '  Erskine  Church,'  Stirling.  It 
was  John  Eobertson  of  Greenhill,  Avith  ]\Iargaret 
Kirkwood,  his  wife,  and  this  was  their  '  kirkin' ' 
day. 

Born  in  the  same  neighbomhood,  each  of  godly 
parents  of  modest  worth  and  unobtrv\sive  piety,  '  they 
grew  together  side  by  side,'  were  brought  up  in  their 
respective  homes  under  refined  and  Christian  influ- 
ences, and,  ere  the  bride  had  completed  her  twentieth 
year,  they  began  together,  in  the  fear  of  God,  to 
establish  a  home  of  their  own  in  the  quiet  house  ot 
Greenhill. 

Both  are  well  worthy  of  remembrance,  not  only  as 
A 


2  JAMES   EOBERTSON. 

the  parents  of  James  Eobertson,  but  because  of  tlieir 
own  sweet-  and  lofty  Christian  character.  We  may 
be  pardoned,  therefore,  if  we  pause  a  moment  to  speak 
of  them,  and  of  the  home  around  which  so  many 
hallowed  associations  have  gathered, 

John  Eobertson  was  a  native  of  Auchenbowie,  in 
the  parish  of  St.  !Ninians,  and  even  when  a  boy  gave 
evidence  of  the  intellectual  ability,  the  moral  strength 
and  finnness  of  character,  and  the  deep  and  genuine 
piety  which  so  distinguished  him  in  maturer  years. 
He  studied  in  the  University  of  Edinburgh,  witli  the 
intention  of  entering  on  one  of  the  learned  professions  ; 
but  failure  of  health  compelled  him  to  relincpiish  his 
favourite  pursuits,  and  return  to  the  quiet  rural  life  of 
his  boyhood,  becoming  assistant,  and  afterwards  suc- 
cessor, to  his  father,  as  factor  on  the  estates  of  Plean 
and  Auchenbowie.  While  diligently  attending  to  the 
ordinary  duties  of  the  business,  and  well  litted,  both 
by  nature  and  training,  for  its  more  scientific  depart- 
ments, his  mind  was  of  that  contemplative  order  tliat 
rendered  him,  in  the  highest  and  best  sense,  a  '  student ' 
throughout,  and  even  to  the  close  of  his  long  life. 

In  the  study  of  chemistry  and  matliematics  he  took 
peculiar  pleasure — especially  the  higher  mathematics  ; 
but  it  was  in  the  field  of  theology  that  his  thought 
and  spirit  roamed  with  the  rarest  delight  and  lilierty, 
and  the  home  of  his  heart  was  ever  in  the  lofty  region 
of  spiritual  truth.  He  had  his  favourite  authors,  such 
as  Edwards,  Foster,  Fuller,  and  Dr.  John  Brown ;  but 


HOME    AND    PARENTAGE.  3 

he  was  not  satisfied  with  drawing  from  human  cisterns 
— 'he  went  directly  to  the  fountain-head,  and  drank 
from  the  well  of  life  pure  and  undefiled.' 

In  the  winter  of  1809  he  was  married  to  Margaretj; 
Bruce  Kirkwood,  whose  maternal  uncle  was  the  Eev, 
Professor  Bruce  of  Whitburn,  She  was  a  woman  of 
peculiarly  gentle  and  amiable  manners  and  disposition, 
inheriting  the  genial  nature  as  well  as  the  mild  liquid  eye 
of  the  Bruce  family,  and  in  all  points  was  a  true  '  help- 
meet '  and  '  heir  with  her  husband  of  the  OTace  of  life.' 
Her  quick  perceptions,  prudent  management,  and  calm, 
presiding  wisdom  will  not  soon  be  forgotten  by  those  who 
knew  her  1)est — a  faithful  transcript  of  Solomon's  vir- 
tuous woman — '  the  heart  of  her  husband  safely  trusted 
in  her,  and  her  children  rose  up  to  call  her  blessed.' 

Little  or  nothing  of  the  home  life  in  its  earliest 
stage  can  now  be  recalled,  but  some  glimpses  of  it,  as 
seen  at  a  much  later  date,  have  been  kindly  given  by 
one  who  knew  it  well — the  Rev.  James  Brown,  D.D., 
of  Paisley.      He  writes  : — 

'There  is  nothing  specially  attractive  in  the  immediate 
surroundings  of  Greenhill,  though  from  it  you  have  glimpses 
of  far-stretching  beauty,  and  the  country  around  is  rich  in 
historic  interest.  It  stands  in  the  centre  of  the  scenes  of  all 
tlie  famous  battles  in  the  War  of  Independence  which  stretch 
from  Falkirk  to  Stirling  Bridge ;  and  from  the  ojjen  groiuid 
near  the  house  the  grand  sohd  masses  of  the  Ochils  can  be 
seen  across  the  Carse,  while  the  loftier  heights  of  the  Soutli- 
Western  Grampians  rise  beyond. 


4  JAMES   EOBERTSON. 

'  Little  of  tlie  lioiise  is  visiLle  until  you  are  near  it,  but 
tliere  is  an  end  AvintloAV  iipstairs  that  can  be  seen  from  afar, 
above  the  hedges  and  garden  trees.  In  other  days  it  used 
to  be  remarked  by  the  neighbours  that  the  light  in  this 
windoAV  burned  long  into  the  night.  It  Avas  the  window  of 
tlie  little  stud}-,  tenanted  bj'  one  after  another  in  the  suc- 
cession of  student  sons ;  and  through  the  long  years,  by 
day  and  by  night,  that  window  seemed  to  hold  out  kindlj^ 
welcome  to  every  one  of  the  student  tribe  who  cared  to  seek 
shelter  under  the  roof. 

'  There  was  no  respect  of  persons  at  that  hospitable  door. 
The  nameless  lad,  struggling  through  College  and  Hall,  was 
received  Avith  as  much  honour  and  kindness  as  the  popular 
minister  or  the  learned  professor.  Every  prophet,  or  son 
of  a  prophet,  Avho  passed  by,  was  welcome  to  turn  aside,  and 
he  never  failed  to  find  a  "  chamber,  with  a  bed,  and  a  table, 
and  a  stool,  and  a  candlestick,"  or  to  be  "  constrained  to  eat 
bread." 

'  Years  after  Greenhill  had  ceased  to  be  the  Greenhill 
I  knew  so  well,  I  had  it  vividly  brought  to  mind  as  I  rode 
through  Shiinem,  on  the  Avay  from  Ayin  Ganim  to  Nazareth  ; 
for  there  too  there  Avas,  in  ancient  days,  a  homestead  at 
Avhich  the  man  of  God  Avas  always  welcome  ;  and  I  remarked 
that,  like  Greenhill,  it  stood  on  a  rising  ground  over- 
looking a  great  plain — the  battlefield  of  Palestine,  as  the 
Carse  of  Stirling  is  the  battlefield  of  Scotland — and  Avas 
surrounded  by  corn-fields,  AAdiere  in  harvest  there  are 
reapers,  and  children  playing  among  the  sheaves. 

'  In  the  garden,  through  part  of  Avhich  the  visitor  reached 
the  front  door,  I  never  saAV  anybody  at  Avork,  and  yet  that 
garden  Avas  always  in  order.     It  Avas  one  of   the  charac- 


HOME    AND    PARENTAGE.  5 

teristics  of  Greenliill  that,  both  -within  and  without,  the 
work  seemed  to  be  done  quietly  and  out  of  sight.  There 
Avas  no  bustle,  and  the  harsh  sounds  of  labour  were  never 
heard,  and  yet  the  work  was  always  done.  The  only  sound 
of  work  that  I  ever  remember  to  have  heard  was  the 
leisurely  clip  of  the  "  shears "  with  which  Mr.  Robertson 
himself  trimmed  the  garden  hedges.  It  used  to  float  in  at 
my  bedroom  window  with  the  sweetness  of  the  morning 
light,  and  the  twitter  of  the  birds  under  the  eaves. 

'  i^o  one  could  enter  the  house  without  becoming  conscious 
of  a  peculiar  charm. 

'  He  who  has  once  marked  the  light  that  lay  al  tout  the 
rooms  will  ever  after  have  a  picture  of  it  in  his  mind 
Avhenever  he  hears  the  word  "  Home."  There  were  no  signs 
of  Avealth,  but  there  was  that  atmosphere  of  refinement 
which  no  wealth  can  purchase.  The  furniture  was  plain 
and  simple ;  but  a  little  ornament  here,  and  a  bit  of  drapery 
there,  gave  to  the  whole  an  air  of  lightness  and  grace. 
Stillness  pervaded  the  rooms — not  the  heavy  stillness  which 
makes  the  hours  long  and  the  tick  of  the  clock  monotonous, 
but  the  delightful  stillness  which  brings  to  jaded  nerves 
a  sense  of  rest.  The  air  that  came  in  at  the  windows  Avas 
fragrant,  and  the  very  light  was  softened. 

'  I  have  no  doubt  I  am  idealizing  as  I  look  back  through 
the  vista  of  thirty  years ;  but  the  ideal  is  often  the  most 
truly  real ;  and  after  all,  the  air  that  fills  a  house  is  that 
■which  is  breathed  out  of  the  spirit  of  those  who  live  in  it, 
and  the  light  in  which  one  sees  it  bathed  is  the  light  which 
shines  from  their  eyes. 

'When  I  went  to  Greenliill  first,  the  father  and  mother 
were   still  together ;    but   there   were   already  lines   on   the 


6  JAMES   ROBERTSON. 

mother's  face  Avliicli  loetokencd  tlieir  eail}^  separation. 
When  T  went  again  her  place  was  empty,  and  Mr.  Eobertson 
seemed  to  have  gained,  through  experience  of  his  greatest 
sorrow,  in  the  sweetness  and  dignity  of  nature  which  had 
won  my  reverence  from  the  first.  He  was  an  educated 
man,  and  in  his  case  the  highest  end  of  education — the 
culture  and  refinement  of  the  whole  nature  —  had  been 
reached. 

'  In  his  double  relations  to  the  men  who  served  him,  and 
to  the  proprietors  whom  he  served  in  turn,  he  so  demeaned 
himself  as  to  win  the  confidence  and  afi'ection  of  both. 
Everything  Avent  smoothly  under  his  moderating  hand. 
Xone  of  the  farmers  or  cottars  for  miles  around  ever  dreamed 
of  carrying  their  disputes  into  courts  of  law.  They  learned 
to  bring  them  for  settlement  to  Mr.  Eobertson,  or  to  his 
son  Andrew,  who  grew  up  to  be  associated  with  him  in  his 
work,  and  to  share  his  spirit. 

'But  it  was  not  this  kind  of  education  only  that  made 
Mr.  Robertson  the  man  he  was.  His  "higher  education" 
Avas  the  education  of  the  spirit,  carried  on  under  Divine 
teaching,  in  the  closet,  at  the  family  altar,  in  the  "  Eack 
Row  "  Church,  and  throughout  his  whole  life. 

'  I  never  understood  hoAv  much  the  life  at  Grreenhill, 
and  all  that  went  forth  from  it  to  enrich  and  ennoble  the 
life  of  the  Church,  was  indebted  to  the  pulpit  minis- 
trations at  Stirling,  until  I  read  a  volume  of  sermons  by 
Dr.  Smart,  published  after  his  death.  In  these  sermons 
I  found  the  poetry  of  Christian  doctrine,  and  the  compre- 
hensive, far-reaching  morality  of  the  Christian  life,  set  forth 
Avith  an  eloquence  that  must  have  laid  hold  of  the  minds 
of  hearers,  and  had  a  powerful  influence  in  moulding  their 


HOME    AND    PARENTAGE.  7 

character.  When  sucli  seed  fell  iipon  such  good  ground 
as  was  in  the  Greenhill  family  pew,  it  could  not  fail  to 
bring  forth  fruit  after  its  kind  ;  for  even  genius  is  not 
independent  of  the  influence  of  early  teaching. 

'Mr.  Robertson  had  some  favourite  themes  on  which  he 
delighted  to  dwell.  Chief  of  these  was  the  need  there  is 
for  a  higher  ideal  of  the  Christian  Church.  He  thought 
the  terms  of  communion  in  all  the  Churches  were  too  easy. 
He  would,  even  at  the  risk  of  fewer  going  in,  have  had  tlu^ 
gate  made  straiter  and  the  way  made  narrower — not  straiter 
and  narrower  through  the  setting  forth  of  a  less  universal 
love,  but  through  the  demand  for  surer  signs  of  living  faith. 
He  could  not  accept  the  general  interpretation  of  the  parable 
of  the  Tares,  and  was  accustomed  to  insist — against,  it  must 
be  admitted,  accepted  theories  of  Church  discipline — that 
it  is  in  "  the  field  "  which  "  is  the  world  " — not  the  field 
which  is  the  Church — that  the  tares  and  the  wheat  should 
be  permitted  to  grow  together  until  the  harvest. 

'  I  remember  his  pleasure  when  some  Moderator  of  Synod 
gave,  in  his  opening  sermon,  what  Mv.  Robertson  believed 
to  be  the  true  interpretation  of  the  "gold,  the  silver,  and 
the  precious  stones,"  and  of  the  "Avood,  hay,  and  stubble," 
in  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians.  He  held  that  they 
signified  worthy  and  unworthy  Church  members,  and  that 
the  apostle  was  pointing  to  the  peril  of  admission  on  a 
mere  "  credible  profession." 

'  I  think  I  never  knew  a  man  who  so  fully  realized  the 
idea  of  "  walking  with  God  "  as  did  Mr.  Robertson.  He  set 
the  Lord  always  before  him ;  and  so  it  seemed  as  if  there 
might  have  been  written  over  his  doorway,  "This  is  none 
other  but  the  house  of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven." 


O  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

'  The  talk  at  his  fireside,  ever  quiet  and  refined,  was  of 
all  subjects  of  human  interest — of  literatiu'e,  of  politics,  of 
ecclesiastical  afiairs ;  and  yet  one  always  felt,  when  it  was 
(^ver,  as  if  one  had  been  reading  the  Beatitudes,  or  listening 
to  Paul's  chapter  in  praise  of  "charity."' 

A  few  well-weighed  words  of  the  late  Eev.  J. 
Steedraan,  the  pastor  of  his  later  years,  may  not 
unfitly  close  this  chapter  : — 

'  His  was  not  the  tliin  and  fee1)le  nature  wliich  affords 
no  ground  for  the  anchorage  of  strong  convictions.  On 
religious  matters  his  opinions  were  formed  with  peculiar 
caution,  and  held  with  a  firm  grasp.  Although  liberal  and 
tolerant  of  other  men's  opinions,  li'e  was  not  one  of  those 
liberals  who  are  "  tossed  about  with  every  wind  of  doctrine," 
"ever  learning,  and  never  able  to  come  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth ; "  or  tolerant  of  all  religious  opinions  as 
equally  true  and  safe.  Those  called  "  Evangelical "  were 
graven  on  his  heart  as  with  a  pen  of  iron  and  the  point  of  a 
diamond.' 


CHAPTEE    II. 

181G-1828. 

Such  were  the  influences  under  which  James  Robert- 
son's childhood  and  youth  were  moulded.  It  is  to  be 
regretted  that  the  page  of  his  early  life  is  nearly  blotted 
out,  since  they  are  gone  who  could  so  well  have  given  it. 

"We  believe  he  was  born  in  the  spring  of  1816. 
The  day  is  uncertain. 

His  mother  used  to  say  that  of  all  her  fourteen 
children,  James,  who  was  the  fourth,  was  the  tiniest 
and  feeblest,  and  the  least  likely  to  live  beyond  the 
days  of  infancy.  His  twin-brother  John,  a  strong, 
healthy  child,  about  wdiom  there  was  no  anxiety, 
was  taken  off  by  sudden  illness  when  only  a  few 
months  old,  while  the  tender  James  struggled  on 
through  weakness  into  strength,  giving  the  parents 
cause  to  sing  of  mercy  as  well  as  of  judgment. 

As  his  childhood  developed  he  was  peculiarly  unlike 
other  children.  The  common  routine  of  toys  and  play 
liad  no  charms  for  him.  His  one  toy  was  a  pulpit, 
and  his  one  game  preaching.     As  soon   as  he  was  old 


10  JAMES    ROBERTSOX. 

enough  to  be  taken  to  church,  what  he  saw  there  was 
faithfully  enacted  at  home,  and  became  the  busmess 
of  the  week.  The  rostrum  chosen  was  usually  the 
top  of  a  '  dyke,'  that  the  servants  working  about  might 
be  witliin  hearing ;  while  his  elder  brother  Andrew, 
with  that  characteristic  modesty  and  love  of  the  lower 
room  which  distinguished  him  through  life,  acted  the 
'  beadle  '  or  '  precentor  '  as  occasion  required.  The 
youthful  preacher  was  always  careful  to  secure  his 
subordinate  with  cords  or  reins,  so  that  there  might 
be  no  chance  of  escape  until  the  service — usually  a 
long  one — was  concluded. 

A  small  tragedy,  however,  brought  this  conjunction 
of  affairs  to  a  sudden  termination. 

James  had  been  taken  one  day  to  a  church  in  the 
neighbourhood,  in  which  the  minister  had  resorted  to 
the  familiar  mode  of  touching,  the  precentor  on  tlie 
head  when  he  wished  him  to  sit  down,  the  psalm 
liaving  been  thought  too  long  to  sing  to  the  end. 
This  was  of  course  observed  by  the  child,  who  pondered 
in  silence  over  its  meaning  ;  and,  before  reaching  home, 
he  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  minister  had 
knocked  the  precentor  down !  This  v:as  something- 
new,  and  must  be  acted  immediately.  So  Andrew 
was  summoned,  and  pinioned  even  tighter  than  usual. 
The  119th  Psalm  was  given  out.  But  before  two 
verses  were  accomplished,  down  came  the  little  fist 
with  incredible  force  on  the  unsuspecting  head  below  ! 

The  rest   we   need    not   relate.      It   was  too  much 


BOYHOOD.  1 1 

even  for  Andrciu,  and  from  that  time  James  had  to 
look  about  for  another  precentor. 

As  he  grew,  his  ruling  passion  grew  with  him,  and, 
through  his  winning  ways,  he  succeeded  in  coaxing 
some  of  the  servants  to  erect  for  him,  in  a  corner  of 
the  garden,  a  real  wooden  pulpit,  of  true  orthodox 
size  and  form.  This  was  a  great  joy  to  him,  and  a 
treasure  he  was  eager  to  show  to  all  visitors  who  came 
to  the  house.  The  poet's  saying  that  '  the  child  is 
father  of  the  man,'  true  in  many  cases,  was  certainly 
true  in  his  ;  and  there,  many  years  after,  in  his  student 
days,  and  even  beyond  tliem,  did  that  same  pulpit 
become  the  centre  of  large  gatherings  of  young  people 
from  the  surrounding  district,  on  Saturday  afternoons, 
to  hear  from  his  lips  the  '  wonderful  words  of  life.' 

At  the  age  of  seven,  he  was  sent  to  the  village 
school  of  Dunipace,  whence,  three  years  later,  he 
passed  to  the  higher  tuition  of  the  late  Eev.  Archibald 
Browning  of  Tillicoultry,  whose  name  as  a  high-class 
teacher  was  at  that  time  widely  known.  It  was  not 
without  a  pang  of  anxiety  that  the  mother  saw  her 
tender,  sensitive  child  go  f-rom  her,  to  keep  abreast 
with  boys  several  years  older  than  himself,  and  in  a 
school  in  which  study  uris  study  and  not  play. 

The  following  is  from  the  pen  of  ]\Irs.  Smith,  widow 
of  the  late  Eev.  William  Smith  of  Bannockburn,  and 
daughter  of  Mr.  Browning  : — 

'For  some  years  prior  to  1826  my  father  was  beginning 
to  be  known,  beyond  the   district  of  TiUicoultry,  as  a  very 


12  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

tliorough  teaclier,  and  pupils  were  attracted  to  his  school 
without  the  modern  expedient  of  flaming  advertisements. 
Tillicoultry  in  those  days  was  but  a  hamlet,  composed  of 
two  or  three  handloom  factories  by  the  side  of  the  stream, 
a  few  straggling  houses,  the  parish  church  and  school,  and 
the  Secession  meeting-house. 

'  The  system  of  teaching  adopted  by  my  father  was 
unique,  and  far  in  advance  of  those  days.  His  great  aim 
seemed  to  be  in  the  case  of  every  pupil  to  awaken  and 
stimulate  thought  and  beget  a  love  of  learning,  and  to 
inspire  a  purpose  of  becoming  a  useful  and  intelligent 
member  of  society.  Ten  hours  a  day  were  devoted  to  school 
work  in  the  school-room  ;  but  of  this  only  a  very  small 
portion  was  set  apart  to  the  mere  "  saying  "  of  lessons.  The 
greatest  portion  of  the  day  Avas  employed  by  the  teacher 
in  explaining  and  making  easy  to  be  vmderstood,  by  attentive 
listeners,  the  lessons  for  the  succeeding  day.  It  must  be  men- 
tioned here  that  strictness  was  a  necessary  accompaniment  of 
such  a  system.  No  excuse  whatever  obtained  against  full  pre- 
paration, when  the  lessons  came  to  be,  in  school  jjhrase,  said. 

'  James  Kobertson  was  in  every  respect  from  the  first  what 
may  fairly  be  termed  a  model  pupil.  I  cannot  recall  a  single 
instance,  in  his  case,  of  rebuke  for  careless  or  imperfect 
work.  It  was  about  the  year  1826  that  he  entered  school, 
and  his  appearance  then  was  that  of  a  very  slight,  delicate, 
sensitive  boy,  of  pale  countenance,  with  large  expressive 
eyes  and  fair  hair,  well  brushed  back  from  a  broad  forehead. 
During  the  two  school  sessions  he  studied  English,  History, 
Latin  rudiments  and  grammar — translating  portions  of  Caesar, 
( )vid,  Horace,  and  Virgil — Greek  grammar,  and  translating 
the   Greek   Testament.      The   text-books  for  the   study  of 


BOYHOOD.  13 

English  literature  were  Milton's  Paradise  Lost,  Eunyan's 
Pilgrim^s  Progress,  and  the  Bible  History  of  the  Jews,  with 
the  Life  of  Christ  from  the  Xew  Testament.  In  each  of 
these  subjects  he  was  always  very  carefully  prepared. 

'  He  was  seldom  seen  in  the  playground  but  as  a  spectator. 
His  favourite  pastime  was  reading  voluntarily  some  standard 
author  under  the  shade  of  the  trees.  Being  very  gentle  in 
disposition,  and  too  fragile  in  frame  to  indulge  in  rough 
games,  he  took  no  part  in  such.  It  is  not  usual  that  a  pupil 
so  constituted  becomes  a  favourite  with  his  fellow-scholars, 
but  there  was  in  his  manner  and  conduct  a  kind  and  winsome 
earnestness  that  overcame  all  opposition.  When  any  request 
for  a  half-holiday — to  ramble  on  the  hills,  or  by  the  side  of 
the  Devon — had  to  be  presented,  he  Avas  frequently  the 
deputy  selected,  and  was  invariably  successful. 

'  On  Wednesday  afternoons  there  was  a  slight  change  in 
tlie  school  routine.  All  were  required  to  write  a  letter  or 
an  essay.  These  terms  do  not  convey  the  distinction  in  the 
task  which  now  might  be  inferred.  A  letter  of  fifty  years 
ago  was  far  more  nearly  analogous  to  a  school  essay  of  to-day, 
than  might  at  first  sight  appear  to  the  everyday  letter-writer 
of  1886. 

'  The  best  specimens  were  read  aloud  in  the  evening  before 
the  household.  Xot  infrequently  those  of  James  Kobertson 
were  amongst  the  selected  specimens.  When  time  j)er- 
mitted,  a  recitation  followed. 

'The  literature  of  that  period  for  the  young  was  very 
scanty,  and  generally  poor.  It  is  therefore  nc»t  surprising 
that  Pollok's  Tales  of  the  Covenanters  Avere  eagerly  read 
and  much  prized.  James  seemed  to  be  dee^jly  impressed 
Avith  them,  and  Avhen  his  tnrn  came  to  recite,  he  determined 


14  JAMES    ROBERTSOX. 

to  repeat  the  story  of  "  Helen  of  the  Glen."  His  recitation 
of  that  tale  is  still  vivid  in  my  memory.  He  delivered  it 
with  such  power  and  tenderness,  that  several  of  the  auditors 
Avere  in  tears.  Tliis  effect,  produced  by  a  boy  of  about 
eleven  years  of  age,  exemplifies  his  ability  of  awakening 
symjjathy  and  arousing  feeling,  developed  in  his  after  career 
to  such  prominence  and  ])Ower. 

'  He  was  compelled  to  leave  school  shortly  after  this 
episode,  on  account  of  illdiealth,  before  his  second  session 
terminated.  Shortly  afterwards,  when  I  visited  Greenhill, 
I  found  him,  though  much  of  an  invalid,  following  the 
system  initiated  in  Tillicoultry,  in  the  case  of  his  In'others 
and  sisters,  and  this  of  course  when  he  was  yet  a  boy,  not 
old  enough  to  enter  the  higher  forms  of  the  modern  High 
School.' 

Some  of  the  letters  to  wliicli  Mrs,  Smith  refers  as 
'  nearly  analogous  to  a  school  essay/  are  still  preserved. 
They  are  iu  a  formal  style  of  composition,  and  written 
in  a  beautiful  hand,  most  correctly.  Addressed  to  his 
brother  Andrew  at  a  time  when  they  were  not  at 
school  together,  and  treating,  essay-like,  of  some  par- 
ticular subject,  they  show  the  unmistakeable  leanings 
of  the  boy's  mind,  and  his  measuring  earthly  things 
by  their  relation  to  things  unseen,  at  this  early  period, 
when  from  ten  to  twelve  years  of  age. 

Another  member  of  Mr.  Browning's  household,  an 
old  servant,  remembers  the  arrival  of  James  and 
Andrew  at  her  master's  house,  and  that  the  fragile 
look  of  the  former  attracted  her  at  once.     She  repeats 


BOYHOOD.  15 

]\Irs.  Smith's  testimony  that  James,  making  good  use 
of  liis  time,  and  heing  nervously  anxious  over  his 
lessons,  could  always  say  them,  and  quite  satisfied 
Mr.  Browning ;  and  adds  that  an  essay  he  wrote  on 
'  Eiver  Scenery '  was  thought  such  a  marvellous 
production  for  a  boy  of  his  years,  that  Mr.  Browning 
was  proud  to  read  it  over  to  all  visitors. 

Our  informant  envied  the  boys  their  education,  and 
was  greatly  interested  in  any  lessons  she  heard;  and 
nothing  pleased  her  better  than  to  take  her  stool  into 
tlie  school-room,  in  the  evening,  to  hear  the  boys 
repeat,  in  their  own  words,  a  story  which  they  had 
read,  and  which  Mr.  Browning  gave  as  an  exercise,  to 
enable  them  to  express  themselves  fluently.  To  James 
it  was  one  which  suited  both  his  taste  and  talent,  and 
his  stories  were  for  the  most  part  so  touching,  and  so 
graphically  told,  that  she  frequently  applied  her  apron 
to  her  eyes. 

While  at  this  school  he  had  a  slow  fever,  and  to 
her  was  delegated  '  the  pleasant  task '  of  attending  to 
his  wants  during  the  night.  He  was  so  pleased  to  see 
her  that  he  would  lie  long  awake,  talking  principally 
on  religious  subjects,  and  his  experience  was  such,  she 
thought  him  '  the  maist  winderfu'  laddie '  she  had  ever 
seen.  Now  and  again  he  broke  in  with,  '  Jenny,  I 
know  you  have  to  be  up  early,  and  I'm  vexed  to  keep 
you  wakin',  but  I  just  like  to  have  somebody  to 
crack  tae.' 

Their  respect  was  mutual,  and  he  would  have  her 


16  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

to  Greenhill,  to  see  his  home  and  people.  She  spent 
a  night  there,  and  remembers  vividly  the  respectful 
bearing  of  all  the  workmen  to  the  yonng  boy.  ]\Iuch 
to  her  regret,  he  left  Tillicoultry  before  she  did,  but 
the  friendship  formed  so  early  he  did  not  allow  to 
drop.  Many  a  kindly  visit  he  paid  to  her,  in  her  own 
house,  in  after  years. 

To  this  period  of  school  life  James  was  accustomed 
to  refer,  in  after  days,  as  a  very  happy  and  profitable 
one ;  and  he,  as  well  as  his  brother  Andrew,  retained 
throughout  life  a  warm  affection  for  their  old  master. 

Eight  years  later  we  find  him  writing  of  having 
'  spent  two  happy  days  in  Tillicoultry,  and  fountl 
enough  in  his  old  master  to  indicate  the  purest  ore  of 
human  excellence  ; '  adding,  '  Xo  man  needs  go  thither 
Avho  wishes  to  forego  the  human  prerogative  of 
laughter.'  And  again  :  '  Mr.  Browning,  who  has  been 
with  us,  possesses  a  mind  of  uncommon  power.  While 
others  are  passing  on  slowly,  step  by  step,  he  can  leap 
at  once  to  the  conclusion — quick-sighted  to  discern 
truth  afar,  and  logical  in  the  arrangement  of  his 
thoughts.  They  are  all  great  thoughts  too,  and  when 
they  struggle  forth  in  their  native,  unadorned  grandeur, 
there  is  a  nervousness  in  his  speech,  which  vastly  more 
than  compensates  for  the  want  of  the  beauties  of  a 
highly  polished  diction.' 

Some  years  further  on,  and  shortly  before  ]\Ir. 
Browning's  death  in  1858,  Mr.  liobertson  went  to  see 
him.     He  found  him  in  bed,  and  surrounded  not  by 


BOYHOOD.  1 7 

jdllows,  but  by  hoolcs ;  the  only  portion  of  the  man 
visible  being  the  large  wonderful  head,  which,  in 
form,  lias  been  compared  to  that  of  Luther  or  Eobert 
Hall. 

They  had  not  met  for  years,  and  it  was  touching  to 
observe  how  the  old  man's  eye  melted  at  sight  of  his 
old  pupil,  and  how  tenderly  he  embraced  him  as  if  he 
had  been  his  son. 

Mr.  Iiobertson  was  going  on  to  express  regret  at 
finding  him  vjlLcrc  he  was — fearing  he  was  ill — when 
the  reply  came  with  all  the  ring  of  health  :  '  ///  !  man, 
I  never  was  better  all  my  life  ;  but  I  just  wanted 
to  make  a  good  sermon,  and  I  always  come  here  when 
I  want  to  do  that.' 


CHAPTEE    III. 

9t   ©lasgoto   Sani&crsito. 
1828-1833. 

Having  returned  home  from  Tillicoultry  in  the  summer 
of  1828,  he  began  his  studies  at  Glasgow  College,  in 
the  month  of  October  of  that  yep,r,  joining  the  Latin 
and  Greek  classes  when  he  was  Ijut  twelve  years  of  age. 
For  four  years  he  studied  Greek  under  Sir  Daniel  K. 
Sandford,  whom  he  warmly  admired,  and  whose  death 
in  1837  he  truly  lamented,  as  that  of  one  'who  had 
the  power  of  attaching  a  class  to  himself  and  to  its 
work,  in  a  manner  that  will  never  be  forgotton  by  the 
thousands  that  attended  on  his  instructions,  who  would 
feel  his  loss  as  that  of  a  brother  and  a  friend.' 

During  his  first  winter  at  college,  while  still  so 
young,  he  was  interesting  himself  in  the  improvement 
of  the  younger  ones  at  home,  and  we  find  one  of  these, 
a  sister,  aged  nine  or  ten,  who  died  early,  writing  a 
letter  of  the  Tillicoultry  type,  and  fulfilling  in  it  a 
promise  she  had  made  him  to  '  turn  some  sentences  of 
the  Economy  of  Human  Life  another  way.' 

Having,  during  his  college  years,  met  a  youth  from 


AT    GLASGOW    UNIVERSITY.  19 

Edinburgh,  who  was  visiting  friends  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Greenhill,  their  casual  acquaintance  ripened 
into  a  warm  Christian  friendship.  Tlie  young  man 
died  early,  but  James  Eobertson's  letters  to  him  were 
carefully  preserved  by  his  friends.  They  are  unusually 
mature  for  a  lad  of  fourteen  or  fifteen,  and  are  written 
in  a  deferential  tone  that  belonged  to  his  nature  and 
training  and  modest  estimate  of  himself,  with  the 
scrupulous  exactness  of  the  Tillicoultry  tuition,  and  in 
a  style  which  was  too  formal  for  his  own  original 
tastes,  but  which  he  soon  learned  to  modify  when  he 
sought  how  best  to  tell  effectively  on  his  fellow-men, 
and  to  find  the  most  direct  way  to  their  hearts  for  his 
message  of  love  and  mercy  and  righteousness.  Still, 
whatever  of  the  formal  bound  him  in  his  modes  of 
expression  in  these  letters,  they  are  the  true  outcome 
to  his  friend  of  his  likings  and  aspirations.  We  give 
a  few  extracts  : — - 

'  28th  April  1830. 

' ....  In  the  logic  class  there  is  no  riding  in  imitation  of 
Don  Quixote  on  an  old,  lean,  raw-boned  and  lazy  horse  like 
Rosinante.  If  one  would  rise  above  mediocrity  there,  he 
must  provide  himself  Avitli  such  a  fiery  charger  as  may  be 
seen  pricking  up  his  ears — snorting,  pawing,  kindling  into 
foam  and  rejoicing  in  his  strength  when  he  smelletli  tlie 
battle  afar  off.  During  the  last  two  months  I  have  often 
been  sleepless  for  more  nights  than  one  in  succession.  But 
I  flatter  myself  with  the  prospect  of  soon  running  away  from 
the  hurry  and  inquietude  of  class  stud}^,  and  with  hope  of 


20  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

getting  rid  of  all  the  lieadaclies  and  odious  giddiness  wliieli 
tliey  have  entailed.  .  .  . 

'  Let  us  value  praise  and  honours  less  on  their  own  account 
than  on  account  of  the  pleasure  they  give  to  those  whom  we 

love "Well  shall  it  he  for  us,  my  dear  friend,   if, 

recollecting  how  on  the  longest  hahits  of  the  strictest  inti- 
macy, and 

"  On  oiu'  firmest  rcsohitions, 
Tlie  silent  and  inaudible  tread  of  Death 
Steals  like  a  thief, 

we  are  seeking  to  make  Ilim  our  Friend  who  "sticketh 
closer  than  a  brother ; "  and  if,  alive  to  the  unstable  nature 
of  what  men  call  philosophy,  Ave  are  striving  to  become 
initiated  in  that  heavenly  wisdom,  t'he  depths  of  which  are 
to  be  sounded  by  iio  human  plummetdine.  .  ,  .  Do  not  be 
long  of  gratifying  me  with  a  letter,  and  let  us  often  enjoy 
that  sort  of  spiritual  communion,  in  which  minds  alone — • 
unembarrassed  by  the  presence  of  the  body — seem  to  mingle.' 

'30th  October  1830. 
' .  .  .  .  You  see  I  am  again  moored  in  this  great  Babel 
— within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  moonlike  sun.  .  .  .  Our 
progress  has  hitherto  been  wavering  and  slow,  like  the 
forced  pace  of  a  ^'' shwffiing  nag"  rather  than  the  flight  of 
Pegasus.  I  trust,  however,  that  Avhen  Ave  come  to  be 
"sounding  on  our  dim  and  perilous  wa}',"  Avith  a  load  of 
anxiety  on  the  mind,  I  shall  duly  appreciate  and  folloAv  your 
Avell-timed  memento,  not  to  dissolve  the  pearl  of  health  in 
the  cup  of  an  overAveening  eagerness.  .  .  .  You  Avill  pro- 
bably know  of  the  honour  conferred  on  Professor  Sandford 
last  Aveek,  viz.  that  of  knighthood.     We  have  some   good 


AT    GLASGOW    UNIVERSITY.  21 

reason  to  suppose  that  lie  will  not  regard  the  appointment  as 
a  mere  honorary  title ;  and  after  all,  perhaps  it  is  chiefly  for 
us  to  he  mindful  that  the  glory  of  great  names  can  neither 
clothe  an  institution  with  respectability,  nor  maintain  its 
usefulness, .  unless  attentiveness  to  their  precepts  and  the 
self-denying  spirit  of  scholarship  animate  the  students. 

'  I  have  entered  on  the  study  of  mathematics.  Really  it 
seems  to  lie  one  broad  realm  of  iron  and  frost.  The  thought 
of  passing  through  the  class  is  not  unlike  the  prospect  of  a 
journey  over  glaciers  and  Alps.  But  we  "reckon  without 
our  host,"  I  daresay,  if  we  lay  not  our  account  to  meet  Avith 
difficulties,  at  the  commencement  of  any  new^  pursuit.  Yes  ; 
and  while  filling  our  heads  with  the  phantasmagoria  of  these 
sciences  and  books,  I  feel  more  and  more — and  I  am  sure 
you  do  the  same — that  we  tread  on  slippery  ground,  and 
that  it  requires  no  small  share  of  caution  to  make  our  ven- 
ture safe.  My  dear  Daniel,  I  cannot  avoid  the  suspicion 
that  every  step  towards  the  acquisition  of  literary  knowledge 
may  possibly  be  a  retrogression  from  objects  of  inconceivably 
higher  concern,  and  that  while  the  heart  is  gladdened  at  the 
prospect  of  success,  it  may  unwittingly  be  endeavouring  to 
"  serve  two  masters."  .  .  .  Dangers,  full  surely,  there  are, 
which,  if  contracted,  may  more  or  less  cling  to  us  through 
life,  but  from  w^hich  let  us  "rejoice  together"  that  by  a 
gracious  influence  our  Goil  can  effectually  defend  us. 

' .  .  .  Though  the  rabbit  is  a  helpless,  amiable,  and  inno- 
cent creature,  I  doubt  not  but  that  it  will  prove  somewhat 
"  troublesome  "  at  times ;  yet,  after  it  has  confided  itself  so 
long  to  your  keeping,  it  would  be  almost  a  violation  of  the 
laws  of  hospitality  to  maltreat  or  expel  it !  I  hope  it  will 
gradually  become  more  tractable  and  grateful ;  and  indeed. 


22  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

the  gentle  usage  of  sucli  animals  is  an  indication  of  kindly 
feelings,  at  least  the  diversion  is  an  exercise  of  humanity ; 
and  in  these  days  Avhen  men  take  a  licence  for  wantonly 
inflicting  pain  on  poor  animals,  this  humanity  is  almost  a 
virtue.  You  recollect  Cowper's  three  leverets.  ...  I  trust 
that,  though  distant  from  you,  I  shall  yet  live  in  your  recol- 
lection,— I  shall  add,  in  your  prayers.  Such  a  remembrance 
is  greatly  needed,  and  will  ever  be  highly  esteemed,  and 
gladly  returned  by,  my  dear  Daniel,  yours  most  affectionately, 

'J.  K.' 

'26ih  Jam  1831. 

' .  .  .  For  my  own  part,  although  the  good-natured  old 
countenance  of  snoAV  -  crowned  Christmas  is  exceedingly 
desirable,  its  smiles  of  ease  and  relaxation  have  something 
of  the  same  effect  on  me  that  the  reading  of  a  novel  has. 
The  fictions  of  the  novel  may  perhaps  answer  well  enough 
for  lounging  away  an  hour  on  a  sunny  afternoon ;  they 
may  he  a  very  good  subject  to  talk  about ;  but  they  scarcely 
make  the  student  go  and  sit  down  "  heart  and  hand  "  to  liis 
work.  He  would  rather  go  back  again  and  lounge — -and  talk 
that  day — and  the  next  day — and  the  day  after  that.  I  am 
aware  that  you  are  fairly  out  of  the  way  of  such  a  misfor- 
tune, though  I  am  so  subject  to  it.  I  fear  I  have  yet  to 
learn  the  rudiments  of  firmness. 

'The  full  tide  of  excitement  will  have  again  set  in  witli 
you.  It  has  so  with  us.  It  is  a  tide  of  words  and  phrases 
"signifying  little;"  and  yet  we  must  just  let  ourselves  be 
drifted  along  by  it.  How  desirable  to  be  in  such  a  state  of 
feeling  that  we  shall  be  neither  elated  by  success,  nor  fretted 
by  disappointment. 


AT    GLASGOW    UNIVERSITY.  23 

' .  .  .  I  intended  to  tell  you  some  things  aLout  a  certain 
odd  character  with  whom  I  have  become  acquainted  of  late. 
He  is  of  the  seed  of  Abraham — a  Jewish  rabbi  of  the  tribe 
of  Levi.  I  have  commenced  the  study  of  Hebrew  with 
him ;  but  I  have  sometimes  a  tete-h-ttte  with  him  on  other 
suJyjects  for  hours.  Alas !  if  the  heart  were  to  be  mended 
without  any  regard  to  the  Spirit's  agency,  these  poor  "lost 
sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel "  might  be  the  last  on  whom  we 
needed  bestow  our  pains.' 

His  letters  at  this  period  to  liis  brother  Andrew  are 
of  course  less  formal. 

'Glasgow,  Nov.  10,  1831. 

'  Surely  the  tendency  to  run  into  extremes  is  itself  an 
extreme.  At  least  if  you  saw  the  motley  groups,  that  "  hold 
their  petty  parliaments,  and  say  their  little  speeches,  and 
move  their  little  motions,"  in  the  college  courts  every  hour  of 
the  day  just  now,  asserting  their  respective  claims  and  pri- 
vileges, and  struggling  against  what  they  style  violation,  you 
would  make  yourself  merry  at  the  expense  of  their  oratorical 
valour.  Cockburn  and  Hume  are  undoubtedly  to  be  the 
leading  candidates.  There  is  still  a  faction  of  ultra  principles 
— puffing  and  blowing  like  the  frog  in  the  fable  to  make 
herself  like  an  ox.  It  is  not  for  me  to  prophesy,  but  the 
probabilities  are  on  the  side  of  Cockburn.  "  Questionless  " 
(as would  say)  he  is  a  gentleman  of  splendid  and  well- 
earned  reputation. 

'  .  .  .  The  annual  Temperance  Convocation  takes  place  on 
the  first  of  December.  The  preparations  are  great,  and  they 
mean  to  have  a  concentration  of  influential  names — a  galaxy 
of  talent.     Please  come  and  see.   ,   .  .  Mr.   S.  preached  the 


24  JAMES    EOBERTSOX. 

inontlily  discourse  on  jMonJay  evening.  There  was  a  great 
cluster  of  the  clergy  among  the  audience.  I  will  not  say 
that  he  did  not  "bring  against  them  a  railing  accusation." 
I  think  he  said  enough  to  disarm  the  most  wrongdieaded 
Philistine.  "  The  most  noxious,  loathsome  reptile  tliat 
pollutes  the  ground  it  crawls  upon  is  a  lovely  and  respectable 
creature  compared  with  the  slave  of  strong  drink.  He 
degrades  himself  far  beneath  the  dignity  of  a  beast  that 
perisheth."  So  much  for  a  sample.  ,  .  .  Tell  me  how  you 
are  all  tugging  at  the  Temperance  oar.' 

'  .  .  .  ^^ow  Avhat  have  I  to  tell  you  other  or  l:)etter  than 
that  there  is  with  a  vengeance  free  discussion  of  "jesting 
Pilate's  "  query  :  "  What  is  truth  1 "  now.  There  was  so  on 
Monday  night.  Could  my  wishes  have  been  seconded  l)y 
the  fabled  cap  of  Fortunatus,  I  wou.ld  have  had  you  trans- 
ported to  the  spot  where  I  w^as — delighted  and  penetrated 
and  subdued  by  the  savour  that  was  coniing  from  off  that 
platform.  .   .  . 

'  We  are  likely  to  have  some  rare  A-^oluntary  and  Temperance 
concerns  at  that  time  (the  Synod).  .  .  .  Dr.  Brown  Avill  be 
elected  beyond  a  doubt,  and  what  a  magnificent  man  he  is  ! 
He  gave  us  a  rare  assemblage  of  excellencies  and  beauties  on 
the  day  of  our  recent  sacramental  occasion  here.  Solid  and 
brilliant  and  exquisite.  If  he  be  promoted  I  doubt  not  but 
that  on  his  account  "  the  thanksgiving  of  many  shall  redound 
to  the  glory  of  God."  '  .  .   . 

As  liis  first  session  at  college  approached  its  close, 
we  find  him  deploring,  as  was  like  him,  the  '  petty 
jealousies  and  heartburnings  in  which  the  students 
became  immersed — each  repining  at  the  success  of  an 


AT    GLASGOW    UNIVERSITY.  25 

antagonist — each  blessing  himself  if  others  miscarried.' 
He  regretted  the  '  feelings  dictated  by  envy — "  at  once 
the  justest  and  most  unjust  of  passions," ' — as  being 
'  like  so  many  gnats  fixing  themselves  upon  the  soul.' 

In  a  spirit  similar  to  this,  and  unlike  the  usual 
views  of  youth,  he  remarks,  elsewhere,  at  the  same 
period  :  '  We  shall  very  fatally  err,  I  think,  in  involv- 
ing ourselves  in  the  mazes  of  opinion  or  the  heats  of 
controversial  warfare.'  How  characteristic  all  this  is 
of  the  spirit  of  his  life,  those  who  knew  him  best  can 
testify. 

He  wrote  :  '  I  was  asked  recently  if  I  really  meant 
to  be  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  and  my  answer  was,  that 
I  would  need  to  keep  "  silence,"  as  there  was  "  in  heaven 
for  the  space  of  half-an-hour,"  before  I  could  give  a 
satisfactory  reply.'  It  was  certainly  his  secret  wish, 
but  he  doubted  his  fitness  for  it.  He  realized  that  it 
needed  a  deep  acquaintance  with  one's  own  heart,  and 
an  influential  acquaintance  with  God  the  Saviour,  to 
feed  the  flock  '  which  He  hath  purchased  with  His  own 
blood,'  and  he  wanted  evidence  that  God  had  need  of 
him. 

This  deep  acquaintance  with  his  own  heart  and 
with  God  the  Saviour  was  largely  given  to  him, 
through  the  exercises  of  a  sensitive  spirit,  under  the 
teaching  of  the  Divine  One,  and  by  the  discipline  of 
God's  providence,  in  the  years  that  followed,  that  he 
might  be  qualified  to  be  '  a  workman '  who  would 
'  rightly  divide  the  word  of  truth.'      Of  this  period  we 


26  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

have  happily  a  record  in  his  own  words,  upon  which 
what  follows  of  his  experience  during  the  next  eight 
years  is  chiefly  based. 

Although,  as  is  seen  from  the  foregoing  letters,  etc., 
his  leanings  from  his  childhood  were  unmistakeably 
towards  God  and  things  spiritual,  it  seems  clear  that 
up  till  his  sixteenth  year  he  had  not  such  a  gTasp  of 
saving  truth,  nor  such  a  sense  of  Divine  forgiveness, 
as  satisfied  his  own  mind  ;  and  that  he  was  greatly 
troubled  about  it.  He  knew  theoretically  the  answer 
to  the  question,  '  How  shall  man  be  just  with  God  ? ' 
but  had  no  persuasion  that  he  was  in  such  a  case  as 
this,  and  was  longing,  like  mosj;  yaung  souls  in  con- 
cern, '  for  a  conscious  touch  of  the  Divine  new- 
creating  hand,'  and  for  some  firm  and  satisfactory 
basis  for  his  hope. 

During  the  spring  of  1832,  both  when  at  college  in 
Glasgow  and  afterwards  at  home,  it  is  believed  that  he 
passed  through  such  an  experience  as  brought  him  to 
the  discovery  that  it  was  vain  to  look  vjithin  for 
grounds  of  his  hope  of  salvation,  and  that  his  trust 
must  be  outward  and  upward. 

The  ministry  of  the  Baptist — the  forerunner  of 
Christ,  and  preparer  of  His  way — led  to  conviction  of 
sin,  and  to  the  earnest  question,  '  What  shall  we  do 
then  ? '  A  subject  of  such  preparatory  teaching, 
James  Eobertson  was  brought  to  see  himself  '  a  sinner 
and  led  captive  by  Satan  in  the  vexatious  stirrings 
of   self-love,    pride,    unbelief,    formality    in    devotion, 


AT    GLASGOW    UNIVERSITY.  27 

and  the  atheistical  principle  in  his  heart,  as  truly  as 
if  he  had  been  guilty  of  gross  sins.'  AVhile  he  had 
the  esteem  of  friends  around  for  his  aj)parently  con- 
sistent Christian  character,  and  while  he  was  seeking 
the  living  God  '  with  all  his  heart,'  and  hoping  in  His 
mercy,  he  was  making  growing  discoveries  of  his  own 
unworthiness,  of  richly-merited  wrath,  and  of  his  in- 
ability to  do  more  than  weep  over  the  worldliness  of 
an  evil  heart  ;  but  this  sentence  of  death  in  himself 
taught  him  effectually  henceforth  not  to  trust  in 
himself,  but  in  Him  who  not  only  wept  over  Lazarus 
dead,  but  spoke  the  word  that  brought  the  dead  to  life. 

All  the  humbling  experience  of  what  he  called  this 
'  solemn  critical  era,'  made  it  '  unchanging  Marah  '  to 
him  for  a  time.  All  was  probably  aggravated  by 
partial  infirmity  of  health  and  dread  of  death  in  an 
unprepared  state. 

He  tried  to  oppose  his  wrong  views  of  God  by 
God's  statements  about  Himself,  who  said,  I  am  the 
'  Help  '  of  self-destroyed  Israel ;  till  the  joyful  words 
of  the  Psalmist  began  to  find  an  echo  in  his  heart  : 
'  Blessed  is  the  man  (oh,  the  blessednesses  of  the 
man  I)  whose  transgression  is  forgiven,  whose  sin  is 
covered.' 

His  argument  was : 

*  My  sins  "  reach  unto  the  clouds,"  but  "  Thy 
mercy,  0  Lord,  is  in  the  heavens ; "  my  necessities 
drive  me  to  the  God  whose  mercy  sweetly  constrains 
me  to  come,' 


28  JAMES    ROBERTSOX. 

In  that  '  evangelical  penitence '  which  '  consists,' 
as  an  old  divine  says,  '  in  having  the  heart  broken  for 
sin  and  from  sin,'  we  have  good  ground  to  believe  that 
he.  learned  for  himself  what  was  the  spirit  of  his 
teaching  to  anxious  ones  afterwards,  that  '  while  in 
our  contrition  we  bemoan  ourselves,  we  may  shed  the 
tear  on  the  Saviour's  breast.' 

'  A  seeking  sinner  and  a  seeking  Saviour  will  soon 
meet.'  Taught  so  deeply  his  need,  willing  to  be  the 
new-created  '  workmanship  '  of  God — these  leading  to, 
and  issuing  in,  the  gradual  seeing  of  the  truth  that 
met  his  need,  with  its  message  of  a  possible,  great, 
complete  salvation, — no  wonder  it  became  the  joyful, 
irrepressible  theme  of  his  life.  It  was  a  persuasion 
graven  on  his  experience  '  with  a  pen  of  iron  and  the 
point  of  a  diamond,'  and  it  found  favourite  utterance 
in  his  ministrations  in  the  oft-repeated  saying  :  '  Does 
light  suit  the  eye  ?  does  music  suit  the  ear  ?  does  the 
key  fit  the  lock  ?  not  half  so  well  as  this  blessed 
gospel  fits  every  chamber  of  the  human  heart.' 

Brought  low  enough  to  accept  salvation  as  a  '  gift,' 
he  knew  well  how  to  place  himself  side  by  side  with 
those  who,  in  after  years,  were  the  objects  of  his  loving 
concern,  and  with  an  entire  absence  of  all  air  of 
superiority  in  addressing  a  '  fellow-sinner,'  to  make 
his  appeal  on  the  old  footing :  '  "We  believe  that 
through  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Clirist  we  shall 
be  saved,  even  as  they.' 

It  is  told  that  on  one  occasion  it  was  his  use  of 


AT    GLASGOW    UNIVERSITY.  29 

the  word  '  fellow-sinner  '  in  his  sermon  that  was  the 
means  of  leading  to  a  saving  change  in  one  of  his 
audience. 

Emeroincf  from  doubt  and  conflict  into  a  believing 
hope  of  full  and  final  conquest,  we  find  him  now 
saying :  '  "When  the  foe  is  foiled  and  repulsed,  and 
utterly  confounded  for  ever,  all  the  comfort  of  the 
victory  is  ours,  but  all  the  glory  shall  be  Thine, 
blessed  Lord,  world  without  end.' 

'  The  worth  of  a  visit  of  Christ's  salvation  is 
beyond  all  rhetoric  to  tell,'  but  this  he  knew — and 
often  tlie  testimony  was  heard  from  his  lips,  in  such 
words  as  these :  '  It  can  sweeten  a  bitter  cup  and 
make  a  sweet  cup  the  sweeter ;  and  in  the  experience 
of  a  multitude,  winch  no  man  can  number,  has  it 
smoothed  and  sweetened  the  passage  through  the 
valley  of  humiliation,  and  the  valley  of  death,  into 
the  eternity  beyond.' 

In  June  1832,  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  he  saw  his 
way,  with  much  evident  distrust  of  self,  to  venture  the 
open  confession  of  Christ,  by  joining  the  church  of  his 
parents  in  Stirling,  thus  publicly  and  solemnly  avowing 
the  Lord  to  be  his  God.  It  was  no  light  occasion  to 
him.  The  consequences  and  bearings  of  it  were  not 
done  with  him  when  the  solemnities  were  past,  but 
stretched  into  eternity,  and  he  reckoned  himself,  more 
than  ever,  in  the  hands  of  a  faithful  Creator  and 
Saviour,  whom  it  was  noiv  his  imr2)osc  to  serve  in  the 
Gospel  of  His  Son. 


30  JAMES    ROBERTSOX. 

His  home  and  its  delightful  retirement '  was 
much  prized  by  him,  as  yielding  most  ample  facilities 
for  improvement.  His  absence  never  estranged  or 
weaned  him  from  the  domestic  circle,  to  which  his 
affections  clung  with  increasing  earnestness  ;  and  he 
delighted  in  its  store  of  strengthening  and  sweetening 
considerations. 

At  the  end  of  his  college  session  he  was  very  ready 
for  its  refreshment  and  invigoration,  of  which  he 
stood  greatly  in  need  ;  but  far  from  spending  too 
much  of  his  leisure  on  his  necessary  restful  prepara- 
tion for  future  labour,  he,  with  his  habitual  shrinking 
from  the  misuse  of  time,  set  .at  once  about  carving 
out  present  work  for  himself  and  others. 

Whilst  he  valued  and  honoured  his  parents  the 
more  as  life  advanced,  they,  on  their  part,  showed 
their  implicit  confidence  in  him,  by  committing  to 
his  hands,  when  at  home,  the  education  and  general 
charge  of  the  younger  members  of  the  family,  as  has 
been  already  indicated.  With  anxiety  to  turn  the 
young  lives  entrusted  to  his  care  to  the  highest 
account,  days  and  hours  were  conscientiously  laid  out 
for  honest  work. 

It  was  from  his  old  master  that  he  took  his 
model,  and  growing  experience  gradually  taught  him 
how  to  adapt  the  Tillicoultry  methods  to  his  own 
nature  and  youth. 

It  was  not  by  natural  instinct  alone  and  untutored, 
that  he  knew  so  well  how  to  touch  sympathetic  chords 


AT    GLASGOW    UNIVERSITY.  31 

ill  young  hearts  in  ministerial  days,  often  by  a  few 
words,  even  on  casual  meeting,  opening  floods  of  thought 
and  feeling  that  so  frequently  issued  in  untold  good. 
This  rare  power  was,  under  God,  due  in  large  measure 
to  the  early  self-training  of  a  loving  heart,  longing, 
like  Abraham,  '  0  that  Ishmael  might  live  before 
Thee ! ' 

From  the  records  of  one  of  his  youthful  charge — 
who  died  comparatively  young,  and  whose  devout  spirit 
runs  through  his  diary — we  gather  that  he  and  they 
were  then,  among  other  things,  studying  natural  history, 
reading  Homer  in  Greek,  and  Genesis  in  Hebrew, 
Shakespeare,  etc. ;  that  they  were  occupied,  on  Satur- 
days, in  learning,  for  recital  next  day,  parts  of  such 
works  as  M'Laurin's  Sermon  on  '  Glorying  in  the  Cross 
of  Christ,'  Hannah  More  on  '  Prayer,'  Bishop  Home 
on  '  Solitude,'  Dr.  Waugh  on  '  Contentment,'  Hal], 
the  '  Olney  Hymns,'  etc.  They  would  read  two  of 
Timothy  D wight's  sermons,  such  as  '  Probation,'  and 
The  Fall  of  Man,'  '  to  be  examined  on.' 

A  brief  account  would  also  be  given,  on  the  Sabbath 
evenings,  of  such  voluntary  religious  reading  as  went 
on  during  the  week.  One  day  in  the  week  was  set 
apart  for  letter  -  writing,  each  choosing  a  different 
correspondent.  These  letters,  before  being  despatched, 
were  read  aloud  in  the  family,  at  breakfast,  or  before 
evening  worship,  or  at  some  other  suitable  time. 

It  was  the  aim  of  the  young  teacher  to  try  to 
put  the  children  on  the  practice   of  devout  prayer,  in 


32  JAMES    EOBERTSON. 

tlie  hope  that  it  would  soon  become  delightful  enough 
to  them.  '  Many  children  neglect  the  duty  '  (he  says), 
'  not  from  any  ill-disposition,  but  because  nobody  takes 
care  to  teach  them  in  it.' 

Whatever  his  circle  might  be,  small  or  large,  at 
ht)me  or  abroad,  it  was  his  to  seek  to  use  his 
influence  wisely  in  diffusing  a  distaste  for  evil  and  a 
relish  for  good.  He  considered  that  the  smallness 
or  insignificance  of  it  in  no  way  diminished  his 
responsibility ;  nor  did  he  allow  himself  to  justify 
indolence  luider  pretext  of  diffidence. 

Many  of  the  first  principles  of  the  oracles  of  God, 
he  was  teaching,  as  the  modest  professor  of  chemistry 
did  his  art,  '  in  order  that  he  might  learn  them.' 

There  is  evidence  during  those  student  years  of 
abundant  and  varied  reading.  His  '  notes  of  reading  ' 
contain  long  lists  of  books  by  authors  of  known 
excellence,  along  with  remarks  on  what  he  finds  in 
them,  and  a  decided  expression  of  oiDinion  regarding 
them.  In  these  lists  the  religious  element  pre- 
dominates, but  is  by  no  means  exclusive.  It  seems 
to  have  been  from  his  own  readin;?  that  he  induced 
the  younger  members  of  the  family  not  only  to  commit 
to  memory,  as  has  been  said,  but  also  to  write  select 
passages,  which  he  considered  of  greatest  value,  and 
worthy  to  be  impressed  on  young  minds.  Thus  were 
they  accustomed  to  '  high  thinking,'  while  tiiey  might 
be  scarcely  aware  of  the  loftiness  of  the  region — not 
to  speak  of  the  superiority  of  style — with  which  their 


AT   GLASGOW   UNIVERSITY.  33 

everyday  exercises  were  making  them   familiar  from 
their  earliest  years. 

At  Greenhill  there  was  little  or  no  coercion  by  the 
parents  in  matters  of  detail.  Broad  principles  were 
laid  down  for  guidance,  and  it  was  thought  this  should 
be  sufficient.  In  all  the  surroundings  of  that  quiet 
country  home,  there  was  an  unusually  large  pre- 
ponderance of  good,  and  consequently  the  children, 
while  they  remained  there,  had  little  knowledge  of 
the  evil  that  is  in  the  world ;  they  were  not  warned 
against  books  or  persons,  but  were  accustomed  to  draw 
all  the  good  they  could  from  all. 

It  is  the  common  fate  of  voyagers  to  meet  with  a 
storm.  In  December  of  this  year  (1832),  James  had 
an  attack  of  typhus  fever  at  home.  But  he  had 
been  able  to  enter  the  storm  with  some  decree  of 
composure,  saying,  '  It  is  the  Lord.' 

He  used  often  to  refer  to  this  event  afterwards 
with  great  interest.  He  told  how,  when  at  the  crisis, 
in  the  deepest  state  of  prostration,  unable  to  speak, 
while  his  friends  were  gathered  round  the  bed  weep- 
ing, and  looking  for  the  end,  he  felt  as  if  roused  out 
of  the  final  sleep  that  seemed  creeping  on,  by  the 
sound  of  the  '  cheeping  of  the  doctor's  shoes  on  the 
stair.'  The  doctor's  entry  to  the  chamber  changed 
the  scene.  '  Hoot,  he's  got  the  turn  ! '  were  the  lively 
words  that  were  to  the  patient  like  something  that 
helped  him  to  a  new  hold  of  life — so  far  as  his  con- 

c 


34  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

sciousness  was  concerned — and  the  point  from  which 
he  rallied  slowly. 

It  may  have  been  from  this  experience  that  he 
learned  the  sensitiveness  of  one  in  such  a  state,  and 
how  much  might  be  endured  (and,  in  his  later  visits 
to  the  suffering,  he  was  persuaded  often  was  endured) 
if  the  cruel  wrong  were  committed  of  too  free  and  un- 
sympathetic speech  in  a  dying  chamber ;  as  if  the  poor 
invalid,  unable  to  give  signs  of  consciousness,  might 
not  be  keenly  aware  of  all  that  was  passing — more 
keenly  perhaps  than  usual.  It  was  always  a  delicate 
point  with  him  that  whether  one  was  sure  of  the 
patient's  unconsciousness  or  not,  nothing  should  be 
said  but  what  would  fall  with  perfect  appropriateness 
on  the  dying  ear. 

He  returned  to  his  college  work  in  March  I800, 
after  three  months'  absence,  finally  parting  with  it  in 
May;  after  which  he  took  the  first  step  that  formal/)/ 
committed  him  to  the  gospel  ministry.  In  August  of 
this  year  he  went  to  the  Divinity  Hall  of  the  Seces- 
sion Church  in  Edinburgh,  for  the  first  time.  There 
he  remarked  with  delight  the  harmony  and  brotherly 
kindness  that  subsisted  among  the  students  —  *  no 
paltry  jealousies  to  embitter  friendship,  or  to  set  friends 
at  variance.' 

Previous  to  this  he  had  repeated  attacks  of  illness, 
and  after  the  close  of  the  session,  in  the  beginning 
of  October,  while  suffering  from  severe  spasms  of 
pain  —  the   earlier  stages  of  the  heart  affection  that 


AT    GLASGOW    UNIVERSITY.  35 

clung  to  him  through  life,  and  ultimately  caused  his 
death — he  repaired  to  Rothesay  to  recruit,  and  to  pre- 
pare also  for  the  fatigues  that  awaited  him,  in  what 
he  described  as  '  the  delightful  course '  that  lay  before 
him.  There  for  a  time  he  was  worse  rather  than 
better,  and  it  even  seemed  doubtful  whether  he  might 
recover.  He  returned  home,  however,  with  some 
revival  of  strength. 

A  fellow-student  and  life-long  friend,  the  Eev.  John 
Haddin,  furnishes  some  reminiscences  of  this  period 
of  Mr.  Eobertson's  life  : — 

'  My  acquaintance  -with  him  began  at  Glasgow  College, 
when  we  were  students  in  the  logic  class,  under  Professor 
Buchanan.  This  was  in  the  session  of  1829-30,  when  the 
Professor  was  yet  new  to  the  chair,  and  his  enthusiasm  in 
full  flow.  The  class  was  a  brilliant  one.  The  Professor 
stated,  some  years  afterwards,  in  a  letter  appended  to  tlie 
funeral  sermon  on  the  death  of  the  Rev.  Morell  M'Kenzie, 
Avho  was  drowned  in  the  wreck  of  the  Pei/asus,  that  it 
was  the  most  distinguished  class  which,  up  to  that  time, 
he  had  taught.  jNIr.  M'lvenzie  was  a  student  of  that  year, 
and  the  most  eminent  in  the  senior  section.  The  most  dis- 
tinguished in  the  junior  was  Mr.  Halley,  a  student  of  the 
Established  Church,  who  died  before  he  obtained  licence  ; 
an  interesting  memoir  of  whom  was  written  by  tlie  Rev. 
William  Arnot.  The  late  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  Dr. 
Tait,  was  also  a  member  of  the  class,  and  was  then  as 
distinguished  for  his  solid  judgment,  calm  spirit,  and  prudent 
action,  as  in  after  years. 

'  The  place  which  Mr.  Robertson  held  in  the  classes  was 


3G  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

good.  Xot  having  been  witli  him  in  any  of  these  save 
Logic  and  Mathematics,  my  knowledge  is  particular  only  in 
regard  to  these.  His  course  in  Logic  secured  him  one  of  the 
higher  prizes  there. 

'As  a  student,  two  things  struck  me  as  specially  charac- 
teristic, and  sources  of  his  po^ver.  These  were  the  beauty 
of  his  diction,  and  the  richness  and  melody  of  his  voice. 
When  he  read  an  essay,  the  language  appeared  to  me  so 
refined,  and  elegant,  and  apposite,  and  flowed  forth  in  a 
stream  so  soft  and  musical,  that  I  was  quite  enchanted. 
Nothing,  I  thought,  could  be  more  exquisite,  and  I  placed 
him  at  the  highest  point  as  an  eloquent  speaker. 

'  As  an  evidence  of  the  spell  thrown  over  me,  I  voted  him 
a  prize  in  the  mathematical  class,  and  found  myself,  to  my 
surprise,  the  only  student  who  did  so  !  My  preference  must 
have  arisen .  from  the  charming  way  in  which  he  repeated 
the  demonstrations  of  Euclid,  for  he  was  not  possessed  of 
mathematical  talent,  and  I  was  not  then  so  intimate  with 
him  as  t(3  be  blinded  by  partiality.  The  voice  did  the  whole 
— so  telling,  that  it  could  render  even  the  propositions  of 
Euclid  musical,  and  convert  their  bald  sentences  into 
eloquence ! 

'  That  which  led  me  to  yield  myself  to  his  influence,  and 
seek  his  friendship,  was  that  Avhich,  in  after  years,  made 
him  many  friends.  It  was  the  intensity  of  his  sympathy, 
and  the  frankness  of  his  manner.  When  we  first  met,  I 
was  the  most  shy  and  awk^vard  of  youths.  Nothing  could 
have  been  more  exclusive  and  repellent  than  my  appearance 
and  action.  Think,  then,  what  must  have  been  the  effect  on 
such  a  one,  when  a  fellow  -  student  approached  him  with 
easy  manner,  and  smiling  countenance,  and  spoke  to  him  as 


AT    GLASGOW    UNIVERSITY,  37 

if  he  Avere  a  brother !  This  Avas  our  first  introduction  to 
one  another,  as  I  stood  in  the  college  court,  apart  from  all 
others.  From  that  time,  when  we  met,  he  spoke  as  if  we 
had  known  each  other  from  childliood.  The  sudden  and 
close  union  I  ascribe  to  his  quick  perception  and  instinctive 
appreciation  of  the  desires  of  others.  To  observe  a  Avant, 
ever  produced  in  him  a  Avish  to  supply  it. 

'  This  sympathy  AA^as  his  most  distinguished  characteristic. 
In  this  he  AA^as  unsurpassed  by  any  minister  Avith  Avhom  it 
has  been  my  lot  to  come  into  contact.  One  Avas  sensible 
of  it  on  his  first  salutation,  and  all  subsequent  conversation 
deepened  the  impression.  There  are  many  Avho  Avill  think 
with  you,  resolve  Avith  you,  act  Avith  you ;  but  the  number 
of  those  Avho  Avill  feel  Avith  you,  and  Avhose  emotions  will 
respond  to  yours,  is  small,  Mr.  Robertson  Avas  one  avIio  not 
only  thought  and  Avilled,  but  felt  Avith  those  Avho  appealed 
to  him.  Xot  only  so,  but  he  felt  more  than  he  either 
thought  or  Avilled,  While  his  judgment  and  Avill  might  but 
slightly  accord  AA'ith  yours,  and  be  but  feebly  expressed,  his 
feeling  was  decided,  and  strong,  and  fully  manifested.  The 
effect  of  his  sympathy  AA'as  to  attach  many  to  him — some 
in  a  high  degree — "grappling  them  to  him  Avith  hooks  of 
steel." 

'All  that  he  afterAvards  became,  Avhen  he  stood  forth  a 
prominent  and  active  minister,  AA^as  in  him  as  a  student,  not 
only  in  germ,  but  in  marked  development.  That  Avhich 
first  and  most  forcibly  impressed  me  was  his  piety,  Avhicli 
Avas  at  once  commanding  and  constantly  manifested.  The 
stream  of  faith  and  holy  feeling  Avas  not  more  full  and 
floAving,  his  devotion  more  reverential  and  fervent,  nor  his 
exertions  more   varied    and  active,   in  his   advanced  years, 


38  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

than  in  his  opening  ones.  It  was  the  entire  surrender  of 
himself  to  God  at  the  first,  in  heart  and  soul,  that  enabled 
him  to  maintain  such  a  bright  and  consistent  course. 

'  My  first  visit  to  Greenhill  was  in  December  1833.  During 
the  whole  of  the  time  Mr.  Kobertson  was  labouring  vuider 
serious  illness,  so  that  usually  he  could  scarcely  speak  above 
a  whisper.  His  mind  was  full  of  reverence  and  godly  fear, 
and  at  the  same  time  of  love  and  confidence.  We  had 
much  pleasant  and  profitable  intercourse. 

'  At  this  time,  his  desire  and  intention  had  been  to  devote 
himself  to  the  foreign  mission  field,  and  it  had  been  his 
wish  to  seek  qualification  for  it  by  voluntary  home  mission 
work  in  his  own  neighbourhood.  Now  he  feared  the 
prospect  was  closed,  and  he  must  relinquish  the  fondly 
cherished  desire.  Even  the  children  of  the  district,  among 
whom  he  had  taught  Divine  things  on  Sabbath  evenings, 
with  evidence  that  his  labour  had  not  been  in  vain,  were 
denied  their  wonted  privilege.' 

Other  reminiscences  given  by  this  friend,  as  well  as 
Mr.  Piobertson's  own  notes  at  the  time,  show  that  he 
was  pondering  deeply  the  varying  phases  of  his  spiritual 
experience,  and  was  most  seriously  exercised  about  the 
discoveries  he  made  in  his  faithful,  earnest  self- 
examination,  during  his  time  of  waiting  and  suffering 
at  home.  It  was  something  far  from  habitual  cheer 
that  he  derived  from  it :  he  sometimes  feared,  indeed, 
that  he  was  still  unregenerate : — 

'  Surely,  were  I  a  new  creature,  my  desires  would  not 
be   so   vagrant.      AVhat   repugnance   in    the   habitual    dis- 


AT    GLASGOW    UNIVERSITY.  39 

position  of  my  heart  to  God  !  How  unsuitable  the  posture 
and  demeanour  of  my  spirit  to  the  great  truths  that 
have  been  so  long  hovering  in  it !  I  could  run  away  from 
myself. 

'  My  course  of  conversation  is  not  shaped  according  to 
what  is  lodged  in  my  mind.  I  have  a  rational  certainty  of 
the  truth,  strong  enough  to  overcome  the  objections  of 
judgment,  but  not  sufficient  to  destroy  the  corrupt  inclina- 
tions of  the  heart  of  unbelief.  Oh,  this  unbelief,  this 
obstinate  unpersuadableness ! 

'  Self-condemned  and  self-abased,  we  throw  ourselves  at 
Thy  feet,  even  were  it  a  peradventure  whether  Thou  wouldst 
pity  us,  even  were  it  a  supposable  thing  that  we  should 
perish  there.  We  venture  our  souls  upon  Thee,  Avith  an 
unconditional  submission  to  the  methods  of  Thy  grace ;  and 
we  make  use  of  the  blood  of  our  Redeemer  as  our  only 
plea. 

'  Rather  let  our  tongue  cleave  to  the  roof  of  ov;r  mouth, 
than  that,  through  a  wretched  heart  of  unbelief,  we  should 
reject  and  affront  Thee,  0  Saviour,  as  if  Thou  nieantest  to 
mock  and  delude  us  by  offers  of  salvation  which  Thou  art 
not  infinitely  willing  to  bestow.  That  be  far  from  Thee, 
and  may  the  impious  suspicion  be  far  from  us.  We  believe 
and  are  sure  that  we  cannot  make  too  large  demands  on  Thy 
mercy  to  pardon,  and  Thy  grace  to  help  us.' 

From  these  two  sources  we  also  learn  that  he 
tried  to  strengthen  his  good  resolutions  by  solemn 
personal  covenant  with  God ;  and  yet  that,  '  finding 
his  resolutions  unstable  as  water,'  and  dissatisfied 
with   all,  he  '  turned  to  Him  who  could  shape   him 


40  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

entirely  anew.'  They  show  that  his  investigations 
led  him  more  and  more  to  distrust  himself,  and  to 
centre  his  confidence  on  the  Great  Covenant-Keeper ; 
working  out  for  him,  we  doubt  not,  under  God's 
teaching,  that  shrinking  from  too  much  of  the 
'  subjective '  in  religion,  that  relinquishment  of  the 
hope  of  drawing  comfort  from  anything  within,  that 
necessity  of  going  out  of  himself  for  what  would 
enlighten  and  cheer,  afterwards  so  characteristic  of 
his  ministry. 

And  what  have  they  not  been  the  means  of 
working  out  for  others,  under  a  teaching  that  always 
— consciously  or  unconsciously  to  ihcm — pointed  from 
darkness  to  light,  from  confusion,  and  sin,  and  misery 
in  self,  to  a  Saviour  outside  of  us — distinct — separate 
from  us,  who  has  done  a  work  for  us,  and  is  able  and 
willing  to  do  a  work  untliin  us,  if  we  will  but  keep 
looking  to  Him  and  expecting  from  Him,  and  cease  the 
vain  attempt  of  saying  to  our  own  '  empty  cisterns,' 
'  Spring  up,  0  well ; '  a  teaching  that  never  taught 
wanderers  in  darkness  and  sorrow  to  seek  the  Divine 
in  the  human — in  self ;  but  to  seek  it  where  it  is — 
in  the  glorious  Person  outside  of  self,  and  so  become 
in  the  finding  and  the  beholding  of  Him,  '  changed 
into  the  same  image,  by  the  Lord  the  Spirit.' 


CHAP  TEE    IV. 

Sagsof  Maittns. 
1833-1835. 

The  spring  of  1834,  which  brought  with  it  gradual 
recovery,  brought  also  a  new  sorrow  in  the  death  of 
liis  former  Sabbath-school  teacher,  Miss  Jessie  Lowis 
of  Plean.  Many  years  after,  and  within  a  fortnight 
of  his  death,  he  spoke  to  a  friend  of  the  great 
debt  which  spiritually  he  owed  to  her,  saying : 
'  Did  I  never  tell  you  about  that  ? '  and  then  went 
on  to  relate  how,  through  God's  mercy,  he  received 
from  her  the  first  sacred  impressions  he  could 
recall,  of  the  tremendous  importance  of  the  gospel, 
and  the  necessity  of  a  real,  vital  union  with  the 
Saviour  it  reveals ;  and  how,  in  after  years,  he  used 
to  go  and  sit  on  her  grave,  and  think  about  it  with 
grateful  emotion. 

When  '  Hall '  time  came  round  this  year,  his  health 
did  not  admit  of  his  attending  it,  and  he  felt  this 
keenly.  His  companions  were  compelled  to  leave  him 
behind  like  the  poet's  man  on  a  desert  island,  who 

*  Never  heard  a  sound  so  dismal  as  their  parting  oars ; ' 


42  JAMES    EOBERTSON. 

but  their  subsequent  visits  to  him,  with  their  gospel 
voyages  of  discovery,  and  maps  of  wliat  was,  as  yet  to 
him,  a  terra  incognita  of  tlieology  would,  he  expected, 
be  some  compensation  for  the  loss. 

His  being  shut  out  from  his  loved  employment, 
with  almost  no  prospect  of  ever  reaching  his  goal, 
gave  scope  to  his  ingenuity  in  devising  varied  plans 
for  service  in  the  very  short  span  of  life  that  seemed 
likely  to  be  allotted  to  him,  whereby  he  early  began 
to  gather  that  rich  experience  in  private  and  personal 
dealing  that  distinguished  his  work,  and  rendered  it 
so  fruitful.  With  the  one  aim  ever  before  him, 
he  learned  to  be  skilful  in  leading  to  higher  things 
through  natural  channels,  carefully  following  the 
windings  of  the  mind  he  was  dealing  with,  whilst 
always  giving  glimpses  of  truth  that  led  to  the 
revelation  of  self  to  self,  and  prepared  for  the 
reception  of  the  Christ  he  preached.  In  these  things 
we  find  much  that  resembled  the  natural  and  yet 
varied  ways  of  his  Master  with  those  to  whom  He 
came  laden  with  blessing,  as  in  the  case  of  the  woman 
at  the  well.  Like  Him,  too,  he  sometimes  asked 
little  favours  that  he  might  be  the  means  of  giving 
greater  ones,  and  getting  inlet  for  them :  '  Give 
me  to  drink '  — '  He  would  have  given  thee  livim;' 
water.' 

About  this  time,  a  valued  servant  of  the  family 
was  leaving  Greenhill  to  be  married  James  and  his 
mother  accompanied   her   for  a  short   distance   along 


DAYS    OF    WAITING.  43 

the  road.  On  bidding  her  farewell,  he  slipped  a  letter 
into  the  basket  she  carried  in  her  hand,  and  which 
has  been  kept  by  her  as  a  sacred  treasure  ever  since. 
We  subjoin  some  extracts  : — 

'  Considering  tlie  present  to  be  a  crisis  in  your  life,  I 
cannot  stand  upon  ceremony,  or  satisfy  myself,  without 
expressing  my  best  wishes  for  your  welfare,  and  especially 
for  the  security  of  your  everlasting  interests,  which  is  tlie 
Grand  Concern.' 

'  May  I  ask  you  with  all  the  humility  of  a  fellow-sinner 
(who  has  nothing  between  himself  and  destruction  but  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb)  Avhat  your  prospects  are  for  that  eternal 
condition  of  being,  to  which  this  shifting  life  is  but  a 
passage  1 

'  Soon  shall  you  and  I  exchange,  not  houses,  but  worlds. 
On  your  reception,  and  on  mine,  of  the  Friend  of  sinners,  as 
the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life,  depends  our  everlasting 
weal  or  woe.' 

'  Have  you  taken  refuge  under  the  shadow  of  His  dear 
cross  ^  Have  the  worth  of  the  soul  and  the  Saviour,  the 
possible  nearness  of  death,  and  the  weight  of  eternal  things, 
affected  your  heart,  in  some  degree  suitably  to  the  magnitude 
of  these  objects.  I  know  there  are  multitudes,  vntltitudes  I 
Avho  are  cheating  themselves — placing  their  hopes  of  sal- 
vation in  the  harmlessness  of  their  outward  beliaviour,  and 
the  fidelity  with  which  they  discharge  the  duties  of  ftieir 
situation,  and  having  repeated  year  by  year  the  self-delusion, 
sink  into  the  grave  !  How  can  I  be  otherwise  than  anxious 
that  you  should  go  forth  from  us,  not  merely  exemplary  for 
industrious  and  sober  and  amiable  manners,  but  with  warm. 


44  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

enlightened,   and  serious   piety,    and    adorned  with    all  the 
beauties  of  holiness.' 

This  intense  desire,  '  that  by  all  means  he  might 
save  some,'  continued  to  be  the  habit  of  his  life ; 
and  not  a  few  of  the  class  referred  to  can  recall 
with  tender  gratitude  the  opportunities  he  never  lost, 
of  dropping,  in  season  and  out  of  season,  the  pointed 
word,  always  fitted  to  arrest,  and  call  to  serious 
thought.  His  method  was  once  quaintly  characterized 
by  an  old  servant,  when  driving  a  ministerial  friend 
from  Greenhill  to  the  station. 

'  Do  ye  ken  oor  Maister  Jeems,  sir  ? '  he  asked. 

'  Oh  yes,'  was  the  reply. 

'  Aweel,  ye  canna  be  lang  wi'  him  in  a  gig,  till  he 
stops  np  your  hraith.' 

About  this  time  we  find  him  planning  an  association 
in  aid  of  missions,  when  missions  were  less  general 
than  now,  conscious  that  it  was  quite  possible  for 
contemporary  criticism  to  call  him  '  visionary.'  All 
through  his  life,  callous  unbelief  was  often  disposed  to 
call  his  hopefulness  and  high  aspirations  for  man 
visionary.  It  seemed  an  unwelcome  intrusion  on  the 
indifferent  sleep  in  which  too  large  a  proportion  of 
professing  Christendom  lies.  But  his  hope  for  man 
lay  not  in  man  himself,  but  in  his  unfailing  belief  in 
what  God  could  do  for  him,  througli  the  gospel,  by 
His  good  Spirit. 


DAYS    OF   WAITING.  45 

Those  who  had  known  God's  power  themselves 
welcomed  the  cheer  and  stimulus  his  presence  brought, 
and  renewed  their  efforts  and  prayers  for  their  fellow- 
men,  with  revived  faith  and  hope. 

In  183  5  he  wrote  some  things  for  the  press,  that  he 
might  proclaim  his  favourite  theme  bv  pen,  if  not  by 
preaching. 

A  tract  entitled  '  Look  Up '  is  one  of  these,  and 
another — written  in  winter  during  the  languid  hours 
of  convalescence  from  two  years'  illness  —  is  a 
meditation  on  '  The  Benefits  of  Affliction  to  the 
Young.'  The  points  illustrated  in  this  tract  may 
here  be  given,  as  indicating  the  lessons  which  he 
had  learned  in  his  time  of  w^eakness.  He  says  of 
affliction  in  youth  that  it 

'  1.  Hides  pride  from  the  young. 

'  2.  Corrects  their  extravagant  expectations. 

'  3,  Preserves  them  from  sin,  and  teaches  them  its 
exceeding  sinfulness. 

'  4.  Has  often  been  the  means  of  conversion  in 
youth. 

'  5.  Endears  to  tlie  young  the  word  of  grace,  the 
throne  of  grace,  and  the  sympathy  of  Jesus. 

'  6.  Invigorates  the  graces  of  the  young  Christian.' 

The  peculiar  irksomeness  of  a  state  of  non-employ- 
ment, his  bodily  trouble  and  mental  exercise,  drove 
him  at  first  to  this  writing  for  the  press,  while  '  the 
absolute  impossibility  of  subsisting  w^ithout  some 
useful  work '  continued  to  recommend  it.      The  weari- 


46  JAMES    EOBERTSON. 

ness  that  worried  him  hunted  him  into  the  use  of  the 
pen — his  only  remedy. 

He  writes  :  *  We  read  that  Zachariah  stayed  out 
the  days  of  his  ministration,  though  he  was  both  dumb 
and  deaf.  Though  he  ceased  to  be  able  to  speak,  he 
did  not  cease  to  minister.  He  did  not  take  his  dumb- 
ness as  a  dismission.  He  knew  that  God  could  accept 
his  hand  and  heart,  though  his  tongue  was  tied.'  It 
was  in  this  spirit  that  he  accepted  his  chastening,  and 
learned,  wlien  under  it,  that  it  was  good  to  go  on 
with  his  work  as  far  as  he  was  able,  and  never  to 
take  any  slight  occasion  for  withdrawing  his  neck 
from  the  yoke  of  the  Lord.  He  was  still  blessed 
with  some  powers  of  usefulness,  that  excluded  all 
excuse  for  indolence,  and  these  he  would  use  as 
he  could. 

The  death  (in  August  18:35)  of  a  sister,  endeared 
to  all  in  no  ordinary  degree,  touched  him  much.  He 
drew  up  a  detailed  statement  of  the  scenes  and  facts 
of  her  deathbed,  to  gratify  the  wishes  of  survivors, 
and  console  them.  The  narrative  was  carefully  kept, 
and  read  and  re-read  by  younger  members  of  the 
family. 

This  sister's  death  was  an  example,  imprinting 
itself  indelibly  on  the  minds  of  the  other  young 
people,  of  the  power  of  Christianity,  enabling  her  to 
display  the  calmest  heroism  in  the  most  trying 
moments,  carrying  her  through  a  long  series  of 
sufferings    with    dignified    composure    and    unaltered 


DAYS    OF   WAITING.  47 

sweetness,  and  scattering  the  horrors  of  the  sepulchre, 
so  that  she  could  look  into  it  undismayed.  '  Here  is 
the  patience  and  the  faith  of  the  saints.' 

'  The  darts  of  death,  vary  as  they  may,  all  come 
from  His  armoury.  His  quiver.  Wonderful,  that  we 
should  reap  so  much  encouragement  from  those  who, 
in  the  awful  act  of  dissolution,  need  to  be  themselves 
so  much  encouraged.  Christ  in  His  agony  had  "  an- 
angel  from  heaven  strengthening  Him." ' 

This  autumn  he  attended  the  Divinity  Hall  in 
Edinburgh,  but  seems  to  have  come  home  from  it 
early,  and  rather  downcast — not  having  '  nerve  enough 
to  face  the  rough  world  ' — apparently  concluding  that 
his  only  wisdom  was  in  quiet,  and  that  home  was 
still  the  only  eligible  place  for  him.  '  A  vain, 
vexing,  weary  world  is  the  beaten  way  to  a  better,' 
and  '  God  has  His  own  ways  of  saying  to  His  children, 
as  He  did  to  Abraham,  "  Get  thee  out  unto  a  land 
that  I  will  show  thee."  ' 

The  pleasure  of  meeting  with  fellow-students  was 
balanced  by  the  pain  of  contrast ;  and  it  was  no 
wonder  that,  gazing  on  the  hopeless  wreck  of 
schemes  long  cherished  with  passionate  affection,  he 
should  be  '  filled  with  silent  anguish.  The  nightshade 
was  twining  about  the  rosebuds  of  his  best  hopes.' 
But  it  was  '  not  a  new  experience.  Moses,  at  the 
promised  land  knew  it  :  David,  in  regard  to  the 
building  of  the  temple.' 


48  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

'  Feeling,  like  fire,  is  a  good  servant,  but  a  bad 
master.' 

'  Oh,  for  a  well-governed  sensibility,  touched  and 
purified  with  "  a  live  coal  from  off  the  altar  ! "  ' 

Yet  it  was  with  unjealous  joy  and  thankfulness  to 
God  that  he  could  see  others  go  forth  with  devotion  to 
preach  Christ  among  the  heathen,  while  the  work — 
'  the  most  delightful  of  all  employments  ' — was  mean- 
time wrested  from  his  hands. 

His  chief  infirmities  at  this  time  were,  he  says,  weak- 
ness of  voice  and  want  of  locomotive  energy  ;  and  he 
adds  :  '  Natural  evil,  with  God's  blessing,  is  moral  good. 
The  nearest  way  to  my  wishes,  God  being  judge,  may 
not  always  be  the  best ;  and  the  fruit  I  covet  will 
be  much  more  rich  and  wholesome  when  ripe,  than  if 
I  should  seize  and  devour  it  while  green.  "  He  that 
believeth  maketh  not  haste."  My  days  of  inaction  the 
Lord  knows  them — that  is  with  Him,  appointed  by 
Him.  None  but  He  knows  what  is  good  for  a  man. 
A  child  may  cry  for  a  sharp  instrument,  or  long  to  get 
up  a  steep  ladder, — may  wish  for  holidays  and  dainties, 
when  a  wise  and  good  parent  knows  it  needs  schooling 
and  medicine.' 

After  this  there  had  been  some  recovery  of  strength, 
and  still  more  on  discontinuing  the  work  of  teaching 
at  home.  He  was  yet  able  to  visit  for  Christian  ends 
in  the  neighbouring  villages,  and  to  hold  occasional 
meetings  too. 

His  dealing  with  people  at  the  close  of  his  services 


DAYS    OF    WAITING.  49 

was  a  natural  outcome  of  liis  kind  of  work,  from  the 
beginning.  It  did  not  belong  specially  to  the  later 
part  of  his  life,  when  others  were  doing  it  more 
generally ;  nor  yet  only  to  his  ordained  ministry  as 
a  whole,  but  it  was  already  a  feature  of  his  early 
meetings  in  '  The  Camp '  (a  colliers'  hamlet  near 
his  home)  and  elsewhere,  while  he  was  yet  a  lad. 
Neither  was  it  the  forced  un discriminating  attack  of 
an  undiscerning  nature  on  all  sorts  of  people  alike. 
In  his  meeting,  his  quick,  sympathetic  eye  would 
detect  the  concerned  sinner  ;  and,  on  coming  out,  lie 
would  find  him  loitering  about  the  road,  and,  in  the 
easiest  and  most  natural  way  possible,  he  would  gi\e 
him  an  outlet  for  what  he  wanted  to  say.  The  man 
could  not  but  feel  he  would  understand  and  help  him. 

In  visiting  the  sick  and  apparently  dying,  it  was 
characteristic  of  him,  from  his  early  years,  to  avoid  on 
such  occasions  any  cruel  freedom  in  expressing  alarm, 
or  in  talking  of  death.  To  use  his  own  words,  he  had 
'no  right  to  number  any  person's  days,  even  when 
they  seemed  most  probably  numbered;'  and  yet,  if 
warning  were  needed,  there  would  l»e  no  lack  of  faith- 
fulness, and  his  aim  would  be  '  to  do  it  througli 
Scripture  passages,  which  do  not  shock,  without  infus- 
ing the  balm  of  Gilead  to  heal  the  wounds  they 
expose,  and  to  open  the  door  of  hope  to  a  better 
world,  while  the  ties  to  this  were  being  loosened.' 

As  health  improved,  his  outside  work  increased,  and 
the  scene  of  his  loving  laliours  sometimes  extended  to 

D 


50  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

Stirling,  which  was  five  miles  from  his  home.  The 
interval  between  services  on  Sabbath  was  used  in 
this  way  to  good  purpose ;  but  week-day  and  Sabbath 
found  him  in  the  same  favourite  employment,  now 
trying  to  rouse  the  self-flatterer  out  of  false  security, 
and  receiving  thanks  for  it,  now  ministering  to  the 
sick  and  dying.  He  records  with  concern  the  case  of 
one  who  would  go  '  no  further  with  him  than  the  "  if 
argument "  ("  if  we  could  pronounce  on  the  safety 
of  our  soul,  if  we  could  read  our  title  clear  to  the 
inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light  ")  '  with  whom  he 
left  Hall's  Farewell  to  Life,  hoping  she  might  '  tctste 
and  see  that  God  is  good.'  Other  dying  ones  he  was 
seeking  to  convince  that  a  main  ingredient  in  pre- 
paredness for  death  is  the  pardon  of  sin,  and  that  the 
grand  object  should  be  to  get  at,  not  a  favourable,  so 
much  as  a  correct  notion  of  their  spiritual  condition  ; 
not  to  get  relief  from  the  fears  of  guilt  by  any 
means,  but  the  truly  Scriptural  means ;  while  his 
heart  would  be  gladdened,  on  his  way  home,  in  talking 
with  a  poor  old  woman  whom  he  joined  on  the  road, 
who  had  scarce  where  to  lay  her  head,  and  yet  seemed 
to  be  rich  in  faith,  and  beautified  with  God's  salvation. 
A  worthy  miner  in  the  neighbourhood,  Sandy 
Stevenson  (regarding  whom  a  memorial  sketch  was 
ultimately  written,  entitled  '  The  Pious  Collier  '),  was 
l)rought  about  this  time  to  his  deathbed.  Mr.  llobert- 
son  visited  him  often,  and  prized  his  character  and 
Christianity  much,  quoting  of  him  as  he  approached 


DAYS    OF    WAITING.  51 

his  end,  John  Newton's  saying,  '  He  is  in  great  danger 
— of  going  to  heaven,'  his  evidences  being  bright  for 
that  better  country,  and  his  sun  becoming  bigger  at 
its  setting.  Many  an  hour  was  spent  at  Sandy's,  his 
visits  to  him  being  always  found  profitable  to  himself. 
'  It  is  a  place  privileged  beyond  the  common  walks  of 
life — the  chamber  in  which  a  dying  Jacob  is  waiting 
for  God's  salvation.  .  .  .  The  word  of  the  Lord  has 
tried  him,  and  if  the  world  marvels  to  see  how  Chris- 
tians are  sustained  and  consoled  in  their  penury  and 
pain,  the  reason  is,  it  cannot  see  one-half.  It  can  see 
the  burdens,  but  not  the  Everlasting  Arms  underneath 
them.  It  can  see  the  tokens  of  sorrow,  but  none  of 
the  comforts  of  the  Holy  Ghost  shed  abroad  in  their 
hearts.  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  I  believe  this  suffer- 
ing saint  in  his  tedious  confinement,  with  few  of  the 
alleviations  which  affluence  or  friendship  supply,  is 
the  happiest  man  among  us,'  Some  of  Mr.  Eobertson's 
letters  to  Sandy  have  been  carefully  pi-eserved. 

'  ^Nicholson  Street,  Glasgow,  March  30,  1833. 
'  My  dear  Friend,  .  .  .  You  feel  your  strength,  I  trust, 
recruiting  much,  especially  when  all  about  you  is  becoming 
rapidly  redolent  of  spring.  Oh,  for  a  new  spring-time  in  our 
souls  !  Truly  the  light  of  life  is  sweet,  and  a  pleasant  thing 
it  is  for  the  eyes  to  behold  the  Sun  of  Righteousness.  Under 
what  is  termed  "  the  hiding  of  God's  countenance,"  alas  what 
distractions  and  what  torturing  forebodings  !  The  "  horror 
of  great  darkness  "  falls  upon  us.  "  How  great  is  that  dark- 
ness !  "     How  great  the  peace-giving  influence  then  of  "  good 


52  JAMES    ROBERTSOX. 

liope  through  grace,"  of  the  voice  of  love  and  mercy  from 
Calvary,  "Peace  be  still."  The  ciiiaking  spirit  is  hushed. 
It  banishes  every  "  fear  which  hath  torment." 

'  If  our  eye  and  heart  are  not  gladdened,  my  dear  friend,  by 
the  tide  of  melting  light  and  love  which  surrounds  and  eman- 
ates from  the  throne  of  tlie  Lamb,  the  cause  verily  is  not  in 
the  love  or  in  the  light.  A  faithful  God  never  withdraws 
from  us,  but  when  siii  or  unbelief  withdraws  us  from  Him. 

'  With  the  exception  of  some  considerable  strengthlessness, 
which  makes  the  chariot  wheels  drag  on  accordingly,  I  may 
call  myself  quite  well.  How  forcibly  does  returning  health 
summon  me  to  gratitude  for  the  mercy  of  it !  I  have  been 
both  smitten  and  smiled  upon.  May  I  never  "  forget  His 
Avorks,"  as  Israel  did,  after  He  had  "  compassed  them  about 
with  songs  of  deliverance  !  " 

'Temperance  matters  here  far  more  stagnant  than  they 
ought  to  be — not  that  there  is  any  flagrant  backsliding  or 
declension,  but  we  are  sleeping  within  our  old  limits,  and  fie 
on  us  for  it ! 

'  Church  parties  are  keeping  each  other  in  hot  water. 
Surely  now  they  might  have  free  trade  in  discussing  prin- 
ciples, without  infringing  on  charity,  Avithout  cherishing  a 
particle  of  ill-will  against  those  who  hold  them.  They  might 
be  "  purging  out  the  old  leaven  "  when  they  are  wasting 
their  breath  on  revilings.  Stand  by  thyself  yonder,  come 
not  near  me,  for  I  am  sovmder  than  thou.  Oh,  come  the  day 
that  shall  do  away  discords,  and  make  it  the  watchword 
of  the  whole  brotherhood  of  professors  :  "I  am  of  Christ !  " 

'  I  fondly  hope  that  no  root  of  bitterness  shall  spring  up  on 
this  account  to  trouble  you,  or  mar  your  harmony  on  the 
Saturday  evenings.      I    beg    to    he   very  affectionately  re- 


DAYS    OF    WAITING.  53 

membered  to  those  wlio  still  take  counsel  witli  you,  and 
please  myself  with  the  confidence  that  the  relish  of  all  is 
heightening  for  the  delight  of  such  "solemn  groups  and 
sweet  societies,"  and  that  a  taste  is  appearing  to  he  imparted 
to  those  who  may  have  been  too  much  strangers  to  the 
experience  of  their  excellence.  Let  us  "  set  our  hope  in 
God,"  and  go  forward,  forgetting  the  things  that  are 
behind. 

'  ¥'ou  will,  I  hope,  my  good  friend,  take  this  (scrawl  as  it 
is)  as  a  tokeii  of  the  sincerity  with  which  I  am, — Your;^, 
with  respect  and  love,  J.  R.' 

The  others  are  pencil  notes  from  Greeiiliill,  when  it 
w^ould  seem  that  both  Sandy  and  he  were  under  the 
rod. 

' .  .  .  Does  not  the  blessed  Hand  which  lays  the  cross  on, 
also  supply  unction  for  the  bruises  it  occasions?  Let  u.s 
not  be  discouraged  because  of  the  Avay  Zionward.  Yes,  it  is 
a  waste  land,  but  "  God  can  spread  a  table  for  us."  AVe  have 
the  Manna,  the  Eock,  and  the  Ark.  And  should  there  be 
but  a  scanty  portion  of  the  blessings  that  perish  in  the  using 
allotted  us,  need  we  be  ashamed  of  treading  in  the  footsteps 
of  the  "Lord  of  all,"  who,  though  He  had  more  right  than 
we  have  to  better  entertainment  in  His  own  world,  was  worse 
provided  for  than  birds  or  foxes ;  and  who,  in  illustrating 
the  sorrows  and  privations  of  His  own  life,  was  not  ashamed 
to  call  us  brethren.  Yonder,  not  here,  is  your  recompense, 
your  centre,  your  resting-place,  your  home ' 

Again — 

'.  .  .  I  was  in  the  very  act,  when  yours  came  to  hand,  of 


54  JAMES   EOBERTSOX. 

sending  you  some  M'tssionaru  Chronicles.  .  .  .  You  -will 
see  a  little  of  the  Lord's  doings  among  the  nations — of  the 
moral  miracles  He  is  Avorking  upon  such  as  usre  bleeding  to 
death  of  their  spiritual  wounds.  It  is  a  period  when  great 
things  are  expected,  and  great  things  attempted.  "We  must 
"tarry  beside  the  stuff,"  but  we  may  wield  the  sword  of  the 
Spirit.  Yes,  u'e  are  but  dust,  and  can  bear  but  little,  and  it 
AYOuld  be  something  of  which,  Ave  may  presume,  Ave  Avould 
never  lose  the  relish  all  our  days,  if  it  Avere  consistent  Avith 
His  holy  pleasure  to  remoA'e  the  stroke  by  Avhich  Ave  are 
consumed.  Eut,  Avhatever  betide,  He  has  pledged  His  Avord 
to  apportion  the  burden  to  the  strength.  This  is  our  com- 
fort, and  this  our  confidence,  that  He  "  looks  doAvn  from  the. 
height  of  His  sanctuary  to  hear  the  groaning  of  the  prisoner, 
to  loose  those  that  are  appointed  soon  to  die." 

'  Ay,  our  friends  are  telling  off  apace,  from  the  land  of 
the  dying  to  the  land  of  the  living.  "  'Tis  the  survivor 
dies  !  "  .  .  .  "  Dear  in  God's  sight  is  the  death  of  His  saints." 
Their  Avorks  of  faith  and  mercy  are  said  to  folloAv  them ;  but 
it  is  the  righteousness  of  Immanuel  that,  as  it  Avere,  goes 
before  them,  to  open  the  gates  of  the  celestial  city.  The 
good  Lord  lead  us  to  learn  the  lesson  Avhich  others  are  dying 
to  give.  .  .  .' 

' .  .  .  I  rejoice  in  the  proofs  enough  Avhich  you  have,  and 
Avhich  you  giA'e,  that  the  Lord  is  Avith  you  of  a  truth.  More 
and  more  do  I  see  hoAV  blessed  a  thing  it  is  to  be  taught 
heavenly  Avisdom,  though  in  the  roughest  school,  to  "  be 
made  partakers  of  His  holiness."  I  see  it,  but  in  hoAV 
unspeakably  small  a  measure  do  I  attain !  I  am  abased  in 
dust  and  ashes  at  the  idea  that  the  furnace  fails  to  purify, 


DAYS    OF    WAITING.  55 

and  the  rod  to  drive  folly  from  this  heart  of  unbelief ;  and  I 
entreat  a  share  in  your  intercessions,  lest  there  should  he 
ground  for  the  question:  How  "have  ye  sufiered  so  many 
things  in  vain?"  .  .  .  On  the  subject  of  the  prosperous 
state  of  our  Aaron-and-Hur  Society,  I  have  reason  to  be  of  a 
doubtful  mind.  "We  are  faint,  I  fear,  and  dissipated,  and 
shorn  of  our  strength.  I  long  to  see  you,  to  tell  you  vi^ithout 
suspicion  or  reserve  what  roots  of  bitterness  have  sprung  i;p 
to  trouble  us.  I  long  for  the  time  when  you  shall  Ite  among 
us  again,  to  quicken  our  languishing  love,  and  teach  us  to 
steer  steady.  Our  sin  is,  that  our  prayers  come  not  in 
enlargement  and  in  confidence  up  to  the  amount  of  tht; 
Divine  promise,  and  to  the  amount  of  influence  in  Jesus' 
name.  From  all  jealousies  except  a  godly  jealousy  over  our 
own  hearts,  and  for  the  honour  of  our  Saviour,  may  the 
good  Lord  deliver  us.  .  .  .' 

Another  miner,  James  Xisbet,  a  disciple  of  Sandy's, 
followed  him  to  the  grave  soon  after,  but  by  a  more 
sudden  passage.     It  is  of  him  Mr.  Eobertson  writes  : — 

'After  Sandy's  death,  his  delight  seemed  to  be  to  spend 
the  interval  between  services  on  Sabbath,  sitting  on  the  sod 
that  covered  him,  as  if  his  faith  had  been  "preventing"  his 
own  change,  and  anticipating  the  ensuing  commission.  A 
favourite  text  he  often  alluded  to,  as  having  sometime 
broken  his  fetters,  and  as  descriptive  of  the  triumph  of  the 
believer  over  the  sufferings  and  sins  of  earth,  was  :  "  Though 
ye  have  lien  among  the  pots,  yet  shall  ye  be  as  the  wings  of 
a  dove,  covered  with  silver,  and  her  feathers  with  yellow 
gold."  He  bore  the  marks  of  unfeigned  humility,  a  heart- 
full  of  love  to  Christ,  and  fervent  zeal  for  the  salvation  of 


56  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

i^ouls.  While  employed  in  his  room  in  the  pit,  a  liuge  block 
of  cool,  which  lie  was  loosening  from  beneath,  suddenly 
gave  way,  and  crushed  him  to  the  ground.  The  alarm  was 
immediately  given,  but  several  minutes  elapsed  before  men 
could  be  collected  in  sufficient  numbers  to  extricate  him  ;  and 
the  poor  sufferer  was  so  dreadfully  injured,  that  after  linger- 
ing in  intense  anguish,  but  apparent  unconsciousness,  for 
eleven  hours,  he  expired. 

'  What  made  him  so  desirable  for  this  Avorld  was  just  that 
he  was  so  well  prepared  for  a  better.  While  he  lived  the 
Avorld  cordially  hated  him  for  his  piety ;  but  after  his  death 
every  tongue  bore  the  language  of  unbought  respect  and 
attachment.' 

Mr.  Eobertson's  younger  brother  George,  who  was 
truly  '  of  the  same  mind  '  with  himself,  wtis  from  home. 
To  him  he  wrote  in  pencil  as  follows  : — 

'  Saturday  night,  8  o'clock. 

'  If  you  have  tears,  my  dear  George,  prepare  to  shed  them 
now.  .  .  .  James  Nisbet  is  gone  to  join  Sandy  in  a  death- 
less world.  You  will  share  with  me  this  sad  day's  sorrow, 
for  it  is  a  burden  too  heavy  for  my  single  heart  to  bear. 
The  whole  "  Camp  "  is  written  desolate  to-night  of  its  accus- 
tomed joy.  Every  one  is  Aveepiug,  and  "  their  tears  become 
them,  and  their  grief  is  just."  .  .  .  The  Lord  liveth,  and 
blessed  be  our  Rock.  The  Almighty  ever  liveth,  though  the 
mighty  be  fallen — they  who  had  power  with  God  and  pre- 
vailed on  our  behalf. 

' .  .  .  We  will  not  despair  or  perplex  ourselves  about  the 
means  of  protecting  the  interests  of  religion  against  the 
enemy  and  the  avenger.  ...     Is  there  not  an  unfailing 


DAYS    OF    WAITING.  b7 

resource  in  Omnipotence,  to  Avhicli  the  Avliole  compass  of 
creation  is  obedient,  and  wliicli  "  calletli  things  that  are  not 
as  though  they  were"? 

'  James  sent  me  word  Last  night  that  he  woiikl  spend  an 
liour  with  me  this  afternoon,  to  talk  over  some  of  his  phms 
of  doing  good.  But  the  first  news  that  reached  my  ear  this 
morning,  when  I  awoke,  was  that  he  had  been  carried  home 
from  the  pit  in  the  utmost  anguish.  I  was  at  his  bedside  in 
a  little ;  but  dying  was  hard  work — he  hardly  recognised 
any  one.  ...  It  was  a  fiery  chariot,  but  it  carried  him  to 
heaven.  ...  I  have  taken  some  of  the  sweetest  counsel 
with  him  since  you  left  us  last.  .  .  . 

'  Old  Eabbie  (too)  is  dead  and  happit.  So  are  other  three 
who  used  to  frequent  your  little  congregation  in  Jean's.  .  .   .' 

Having  taken  notes  of  Sandy's  life  and  experience, 
Mr.  Eobertson  desired  Mr.  ]\I'Cheyne  (then  assistant  to 
the  Eev.  John  Bonar,  Larbert,  and  afterwards  minister 
of  Dundee)  to  frame  a  narrative  from  them,  believing 
that  it  might  be  of  much  use.  Eegarding  this  request 
Mr.  M'Cheyne  wrote  from  Stenhousemuir  in  September 
18.36:— 

'  I  was  so  much  interested  with  the  sketch  of  Alexander 
Stevenson's  life  that  I  hardly  stopped  till  I  got  to  the  end  of 
it.  It  presents  the  most  graphic  picture  that  I  ever  saw  of 
a  poor  collier's  life.  How  true  that  one -half  the  world 
knows  not  how  the  other  half  lives !  It  is  peculiarly 
interesting  to  me,  having  been  somewhat  occupied  among 
that  very  class  of  people.  And  the  grand  lesson  that  it 
teaches  me  is,  that  it  is  the  duty  of  the  minister  to  know  the 
case  of  every  one  of  his  people — to  be  his  intimate  guide  to 


58  JAMES    ROBERTSOX. 

the  Saviour.  I  am  soniewliat  at  a  loss  to  trace  the  beginning 
of  a  work  of  grace  in  his  heart.  His  seems  to  be  one  of 
those  cases  (unhke  the  Phihppian  jailor)  where  there  is  no 
sudden  transition  from  darkness  to  marvellous  light.  The 
abstaining  from  secret  prayer,  even  after  the  beginning  of  a 
kind  of  religious  life,  is  quite  a  puzzle  to  me.  There  is  good 
evidence  of  a  graciously  humbled  spirit ;  but  there  seems  to 
have  been  no  particular  time  when  he  was  overpoweringly 
convinced  of  sin.  In  the  same  way  there  seems  good  evi- 
dence of  a  mind  looking  unto  Jesus,  and  receiving  peace  only 
from  looking  out  to  Him — to  His  wounds,  and  to  His 
obedience ;  but  I  do  not  find  there  was  any  particular  time 
when  his  eyes  were  opened  of  a  sudden  to  see  the  beauty  and 
fitness  of  the  Saviour.  If  I  look  rightly  into  his  case,  it  is 
one  of  those  in  which  God,  from  time  to  time,  by  provi- 
dential dealings,  leads  on  and  on  to  the  knowledge  of  their 
lost  estate,  and  to  the  knowledge  of  Jesus,  without  any  one 
point  in  their  life  which  can  be  called  a  time  of  conversion. 
Their  whole  life  has  been,  as  it  were,  one  long  birth  into  the 
world  of  grace.  If  this  be  true,  it  is  very  precious,  and 
teaches  ministers  a  thousand  lessons.  Another  remarkable 
feature  is,  that  no  man  seems  to  have  been  God's  instrument, 
or  chief  instrument,  in  turning  him  to  God.  He  had  no 
spiritual  father.  God's  providence  seems  to  have  been  the 
chief  instrument.  His  providences  are  admirably  told,  and 
are  exceedingly  interesting.  ...  I  do  think  it  would  make 
a  useful  tract  to  jirint  it  at  some  length;  but  it  would  need 
a  i^runing  hand,  or  rather  to  be  remodelled.   .  .  . 

'  If  3'ou  know  those  of  his  friends  that  are  living,  you 
might  let  me  know  their  names,  that  Ave  may  not  injure 
them  by  putting  them  in  print. 


DAYS    OF    WAITING.  59 

'  I  was  grieved  I  could  see  so  little  of  you  last  evening. 
Eemember  the  sweet  words  of  Jude  21,  "Keep  yourself  in 
the  love  of  God  " — in  His  love  to  you,  and  then  yours  will 
abound  to  Him ;  and  to  Him  who  alone  is  able  to  keep  you 
from  falling  I  commend  you  and  yours.' 

Mr.  ]\I'Cheyne  was  sent  abroad  soon  after  this,  in 
connection  with  the  Jewish  Mission  of  his  Church, 
and  the  constant  labours  of  a  busy,  but  short  ministry 
on  his  return  left  him  no  time  to  compile  the  narrat- 
ive. This  was  finally  done  by  another  hand,  that  of 
Mr,  Whitecross,  author  of  Anecdotes  on  the  Shorter 
Catechism,  etc. 


CHAPTEE   V. 

E'i)z  Bi'&ini'to  .Stulicut. 

1835-1839. 

One  of  Mr.  Eobertson's  favourite  places  of  call  in 
Stirling  was  Jeanie  Wilson's.  He  was  wont  to  call 
her  'A  Lily  among  Thorns;'  and  many  will  recognise 
this  title  as  that  of  a  small  memoir  from  his  own 
hand,  which  has  appeared  at  different  times,  in  several 
different  forms. 

Jeanie  belonged  to  a  tribe  of  gypsies  that  had  their 
headquarters  at  Eaploch,  a  village  at  the  foot  of 
Stirling  Castle  Eock.  During  the  summer  wanderings 
of  some  of  her  company  in  Fife,  she  was  attracted  to  a 
tent-preaching  at  a  communion,  and  heard :  '  Cursed  is 
every  one  that  continuetli  not  in  all  things  written  in 
the  book  of  the  la^v  to  do  them,'  She  thought  she 
had  continued  in  nothing,  came  under  deep  conviction, 
and,  returning  to  Stirling,  found  the  truth  that  met  her 
need,  chiefly  in  Erskine  Church,  and  under  the  teach- 
ing of  Mr.  Campbell.  She  became  thenceforward  '  a 
light  shining  in  a  dark  place,'  and  for  many  years 
she  lived  quietly  and  consistently,  supporting  an  aged 
mother  by  her  industry.      She  was  afterwards  herself 


THE    DIVINITY    STUDENT.  61 

almost  entirely   bedridden    for    about   eighteen    years, 
and  dependent  on  charity. 

Of  her  Mr.  Eobertson  says : — 

'  She  spoke  of  God  as  one  wlio  hved  in  His  presence,  and 
of  Christ  as  one  dwehing  near  His  cross.  Hence  it  was 
that,  in  a  wide  circle  of  Christian  friends,  her  name  becanu^ 
a  sort  of  ins[)iring  watchword  for  the  cultivation  of  Christian 
graces  and  heavenly  affections.  Often  on  Sabbath  between 
services  there  might  be  seen  directing  their  steps  to  Jeanie's 
garret,  on  the  Castle  Hill,  students  who  were  preparing  for 
tlie  ministry  of  the  gospel.  She  was  a  stranger  to  the  names 
of  their  classical  poets  and  orators,  but  they  felt  tliat  she 
Avas  well  fitted  to  instruct  them  in  everything  trulj^  spiritual, 
being  so  richly  familiar  with  the  strains  of  the  "Sweet 
Singer  of  Israel,"  and  with  the  nobler  eloquence  of  Him 
who  "spake  as  never  man  spake."  They  went  to  that 
favourite  spot  to  learn  their  practical  theology,  to  study 
"  the  faith  and  patience  of  the  saints ; "  and  often  might 
they  liave  been  heard  saying  to  each  other  as  they  returned  : 
"  Did  not  our  hearts  burn  within  us  1 " 

'  She  cautioned  them  frequently  against  the  danger  of 
l)utting  active  zeal  in  the  room  of  heart  Christianity — of 
confounding  frequent  thinking  or  speaking  of  the  things 
of  God  officially  with  the  graces  of  His  Spirit  in  the  soul. 
She  reminded  them  that  "  a  servant  cannot  live  on  the  act 
of  preparing  food  for  others,  but  she  must  have  her  own 
meals  besides."  She  urged  them  to  live  much  in  the  spirit 
of  dependence  and  of  prayer,  and  never  to  forget  that  word 
of  Jesus,  "Abide  in  Me."  "Be  sure,"  said  she,  "that  you 
commend  Christ  weel   wherever  you  go.       You'll   never  be 


62  JAMES   ROBEETSON. 

able  to  tell  sinners  half  o'  His  worth.  For  He  is  just  a  Non- 
such.    There's  nae  spot  in  Him." 

'  At  another  time,  when  speaking  of  "  the  winning  of 
souls  as  being  the  grand  thing  we  want,  and  ministers  who 
will  really  seek  to  win  them,"  she  added,  "But  mind,  ye 
maun  gang  warily  aboot  it,  for  perishing  souls  are  just  like  a 
man  lyin'  on  the  brow  o'  a  rock  sleepin',  Avi'  the  sea  below 
him.  Eh,  how  canny  you  would  deal  wi'  a  man  like  this  ! 
You  wouldna  gie  a  wild  shout,  in  case  you  waukened 
him  in  a  start,  and  he  lost  his  balance.  Wouldn't  you 
try  to  draAv  him  aff  to  a  place  o'  safety  wi'  great 
tenderness  and  affection  1  '  He  that  Avinneth  souls  is 
wise.' " ' 

On  Mr.  Robertson's  visiting  her  once,  with  a  brother,  after 
nearlj'^  three  years'  absence,  she  said  to  him  :  '  That  health 
(iod  has  restored  is  a  gift  which  it  is  at  your  peril  to  put  to 
an  improper  use.'  Visiting  her  again  with  three  other  young 
men,  she  asked  regarding  them,  '  But  can  you  say  they  are 
the  friends  of  the  truth?'  and  made  these  among  other 
remarks :  '  Oh,  what  safety  in  Christ's  hold  of  me  !  what 
comfort  in  my  hold  of  Him  ! '  '  The  Law-giver  is  the  Law- 
fulfiller.  I  cannot  tell  you  the  joy  I  have  in  His  un- 
changing love.  He  can  never  cast  away  any  of  the  jewels 
of  the  cabinet  that  He  kof t  sae  dear.'  '  Carry  a  savour  of 
Christ  continually  about  with  you.' 

To  Luther's  '  trio  that  makes  a  minister — prayer, 
meditation,  and  temptation ' — it  was  with  a  calm  per- 
suasion that  Mr.  Eobertson  added — 

' .  .  .  the  visitation  of  the  too-much-unvisited  cottage  and 
garret   of  the    afflicted  saint,   Avhom,    though    poor    in   this 


THE   DIVINITY    STUDENT.  63 

Avorld,  "God  has  chosen  rich  in  faith."'  It  was  'there  in 
conference  that  he  heard  (what  he  thought)  the  best  lectures 
on  Divinity,  and  felt  with  overwhelming  force  the  grace  of 
the  Saviour,  and  the  nearness  of  eternity.  Such  sick  and 
dying  rooms  are  the  best  schools  for  the  living  and  the 
healthy  to  get  spiritual  instruction ;  and  oh  !  how  little  do 
the  crowds  that  pass  and  repass,  and  gaze  unmeaningly  on 
everything  that  offers  itself — how  little  do  they  know  of  the 
interest,  from  more  worlds  than  one,  that  meets  and  clusters 
round  that  little  chamber !  If  blessings  are  bestowed  and 
judgments  averted  in  answer  to  prayer,  if  the  Bible  teaches 
that  the  efficacy  of  prayer  is  proportioned  to  the  inwroiight 
fervour,  it  is  impossible  to  say  how  much  this  neighbour- 
hood is  indebted  to  those  saintly  persons,  who  employ  on  our 
behalf  so  powerful  intercession  with  God.' 

'  Blessed  gospel,  which  can  so  soften  the  pillow  of  the 
suffering  followers  of  Jesus  ! '  '  AVhat  a  Bethel  is  the  bed  of 
jioverty,  or  the  chamber  of  sickness,  when  a  person,  simple 
as  simplicity  itself,  discovers  such  gifts  and  powers  as  seem 
to  come  immediately  from  above.  Reserved  and  retiring  on 
other  subjects,  and  at  other  times,  they  seem  to  have  their 
lips  touched,  and  their  tongues  unloosed  on  this.  They 
express  themselves  in  such  a  manner,  that  one  is  never  tired 
of  hearing  them ;  yea,  the  most  modest  and  timid  can  come 
forward  and  confess  Christ  with  such  a  holy  boldness  as 
reminds  you  of  her  who  said,  "  I  cannot  plead  for  Christ, 
but  I  can  die  for  Him."  How  delightful  and  salutary  the 
fragrance  of  these  blossoms  of  paradise.  To  meet  un- 
expectedly, as  it  were  by  the  waters  of  Babylon,  even  one 
citizen  of  Zion  ...  is  sufficient  to  make  "the  desert  rejoice 
and  blossom  as  the  rose."     None  but  those  who  have  felt  it 


G4  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

can  know  what  it  is  for  them  to  acknowledge  one  another, 
and  to  taste  the  blessedness  of  communion  in  the  love  of 
Christ.  They  bear  the  unerring  features  of  the  household  of 
faith.' 

A  little  later  he  says  :  '  Drawing  near  God,  and  receiving 
inspiration  from  His  Word,  though  destitute,  like  the  first 
disciples,  of  "  staff  and  scrip,"  let  every  Christian  labour 
among  his  family,  his  kindred,  his  neighbourhood — among 
the  young  who  need  him,  the  sick  who  desire  him,  and 
the  poor  who  will  welcome  him.  His  Master  Avill  find  him 
field  enough  for  usefulness ;  and  though  the  world  shall 
deride  him,  and  cast  him  forth  from  its  fortunate  places,  he 
need  not  feed  on  the  smile  of  its  favour,  but  on  the  stern 
resolves  and  heavenward  enjoyments  of  an  apostle's  toilsome 
calling.  One  such  Christian  were  worth  a  hundred,  and  a 
hundred  such  were  worth  a  host,  to  revive  and  quicken  the 
pining  interests  of  Jehovah's  Zion. 

'Visit  the  poor,  the  outcast,  the  perishing,  my  fellow- 
Christian,  and  you  will  find  them  worthy  to  be  visited. 
Take  an  interest  in  their  condition,  and  you  will  not  only 
confer,  but  inherit  a  blessing.  'Tis  the  finest  office  of 
"  religion,  pure  and  undefiled,  to  visit  the  fatherless  in  their 
affliction,"  and  those  who  have  no  helper.  Most  like  it  is 
to  the  providence  of  the  Father  of  Mercies — so  tender,  so 
noiseless,  and  so  unseen  —  so  effectual.  ISIost  like  it  is  to 
prayer,  this  private  communion  of  two  afflicted  ones — the 
one  in  want,  which  the  other  can  supply. 

'  It  needs  no  society,  no  committee,  no  subscription  list, 
no  memorial  of  any  kind.  The  witness  is  in  heaven,  the 
record  is  on  high.  .  .  .  The  vilest  sinner  and  the  bitterest 
enemy   are  not  to  be   excluded    from    the    sphere    of    your 


THE    DIVINITY    STUDENT.  G5 

tenderness.  ...   If  there  is  real  love  in  the  heart,  in  those 
visits,  one  may  say  rmijihiv(j' 

Again,  elsewhere :  '  Nothing  but  an  affectionate  forth- 
going  is  necessary  on  our  part  among  the  outcast  and  long- 
neglected  families  of  our  population,  that  we  may  have  a 
willing  and  Avarm  rocejjtion  on  theirs.  It  is  utterly  a  mis- 
take (to  think)  that  among  the  labouring  classes  there  is  a 
liardy,  an  insolent  defiance,  which  no  assiduities  of  good- 
will, or  of  kindness,  on  the  i)art  of  Christian  visitors,  can 
possibly  overcome.  They  have  been  tried  in  this  respect, 
and  found  courteous  and  inviting.  It  is  not  in  human 
nature  to  withstand  the  charm  which  lies  in  unwearied  zeal 
for  their  best  interests.' 

As  the  summer  of  1836  advanced,  Mr.  liobertson's 
prospects  of  attendance  at  the  Hall  did  not  brighten  ; 
but  whether  they  did  or  not,  he  still  cherished  the 
thought  of  being  bound  as  it  were  by  office  to 
religion,  as  a  wholesome  antidote  to  the  dangers  of 
temptations  to  relapse  into  utter  worldliness  and 
apostasy ;  trusting  to  get,  through  grace,  the  antipathy 
in  his  heart  to  what  is  good  destroyed  by  close 
attention  to  such  duties  and  exercises.  His  uncer- 
tainty kept  him  in  sympathy  with  tlie  good  man  who 
said,  '  I  have  not  had  a  to-morrow  for  years.' 

In  the  spring  of  1837,  y  young  man,  of  the  name 
of  Miller,  was  imprisoned  in  Stirling,  on  a  charge 
of  nuirder.  One  who  was  a  boy  at  the  time  still 
recalls  the  feeling  of  reverential  awe  with  whicli  he 
used  to  watch  the  delicate  young  student  gain  admis;- 


66  JAMES    ROBERTSOK 

sion  to  the  gaol,  in  order  to  deal  with  the  culprit, 
when  under  sentence  of  death.  Mr.  Eobertson  refers 
to  the  exhaustion  consequent  on  visits  to  poor  Miller's 
cell,  in  which,  no  doubt,  his  sympathy  with  a  Lrother- 
man  standing  in  such  a  solemn  position  was  almost 
too  much  for  his  bodily  frame.  After  Miller's  death, 
the  Falkirk  Tract  Society  asked  him  to  draw  up  a 
statement  of  the  whole  case  for  publication.  This  he 
did,  intermingling  the  narrative  with  practical  lessons 
throughout,  in  which  he  aimed  at  leading  his  readers 
to  feel,  as  he  himself  did :  '  There  goes  John  Brad- 
ford but  for  the  grace  of  God.' 

The  man  went  by  the  nickname  of  '  Scatters.' 
Some  time  after  Scatters'  death,  ]\Ir.  Eobertson  met  the 
culprit's  mother  on  the  road  to  Larbert.  She  was  on 
the  way  to  her  work  in  the  wood — peeling  bark.  She 
threw  down  her  pipe  as  soon  as  her  eye  caught  his, 
came  forward  weeping,  and  said  how  very  glad  she 
was  to  meet  him,  as  she  did  not  know  where  he  was 
to  be  found.  After  giving  a  history  of  the  progress 
of  poor  Sandy's  degeneracy,  she  added :  '  But  it  was 
all  ordained  so  to  be,  and  I'm  quite  content  ! !  ! ' 

When  expostulated  with  on  .  her  intemperate 
habits,  she  said  she  had  tasted  no  whisky  for  six 
months  past,  and  if  anybody  should  abhor  it,  she 
added,  '  it  should  surely  be  me,  for  it  has  cost  me 
my  laddie.  I  canna  get  his  end  oot  o'  my  mind  an 
boor  in  the  day.     I'm  aye  thinkin'  o'  him.' 

After  the  Hall  season  of  1837,  Mr.  Eobertson  went 


THE    DIVINITY    STUDENT.  G7 

to  reside  as  tutor  in  a  family  in  the  neiglibourhood  of 
Falkirk,  during  the  long  recess  between  the  annual 
periods  of  study  in  Edinburgh — his  health  being  now 
better,  though  he  still  felt  the  '  thorn  in  the  flesh.' 
It  was  in  no  hireling  spirit  that  he  entered  on  his 
charge,  but  with  the  one  desire  uppermost,  the  pro« 
motion  of  the  welfare  of  ail,  and  specially,  that  the 
'  dear  little  ones  committed  to '  his  care  might 
become  wise  unto  salvation.  He  seems  to  have  been 
able  to  continue  with  them  till  the  summer  of  the 
following  year. 

Among  his  occasional  labours  in  %.h  new  sphere, 
stimulating  addresses  on  home  and  foreign  missions 
occupied  a  prominent  and  interesting  place.  We 
tind  him  also  assisting  at  the  formation  of  an  '  asso- 
ciation for  religious  purposes,'  and  again  at  the 
formation  of  '  the  Falkirk  Branch  of  the  British  and 
Foreign  Young  Men's  Society.'  Speaking  of  the  latter, 
he  described  its  purpose  as  being  '  to  pour  the  gifts 
and  graces  of  each  into  a  common  treasury  for  the 
benefit  of  all ;  to  increase  their  watch-f-ul  interest  in 
one  another,  and  thereby  multiply  their  guards 
against  self-deception  and  temptation ;  to  mark  their 
respective  qualifications  for  the  labours  of  Christian 
love,  and  with  faithful  affection  to  rouse  to  their  suit- 
able improvement ;  and  to  quicken  each  other's  zeal  on 
behalf  of  those  who  are  perishing  vjitJwnt  knowledge, 
or,  what  is  worse,  perishing  luKh  it.'  He  was,  in  fact, 
urging  the   young   men  to    tliose  exercises  and  com- 


68  JAMES    EOBERTSOX. 

passionate  labours  which  he  had  himself  found  to  Le 
such  means  of  grace. 

In  these  wise  words  we  see  a  foreshadowing  also 
of  his  own  later  work,  and  of  the  keen  and  loving 
eye  with  which  he  watched  over  the  flocks  of  which 
the  Holy  Ghost  made  him  overseer ;  and  we  recall 
the  pains  he  took  to  find  out  the  qualifications  of 
each ;  the  faithful  affection  with  which  he  sought  to 
assign  to  every  man  his  work,  setting  himself,  with 
all  the  loving,  discerning  influence  he  could  bring 
to  bear,  against  useless  Church-membership  either  in 
man  or  woman. 

Thus  he  speaks  at  this  time  in  an  address  on  Home 
Missions : — 

'  One  feature  of  the  Christian  instruction  plan  which 
commends  itself  strongly  to  my  mind  is  this,  that  it  docs 
away  with  the  mode  of  discharging  that  part  of  the 
ministeml  function  which  is  greatly  calculated  to  dilute 
and  enfeeble  its  effort — the  mode,  I  mean,  of  merely  making 
an  ordinary  call  from  house  to  house,  and  afterwards 
delivering  the  exhortation  and  uttering  the  petitions  of  the 
service  in  a  little  congregation  collected  from  them  all. 
Men  have  a  fatal  facility,  we  must  he  all  aware,  of  escaping 
the  part  of  admonition  addressed  to  them  in  coni})any  with 
others.  They  hear  for  these  others  more  than  for  them- 
selves— seated,  as  it  were,  in  the  centre  of  the  crowd,  where 
the  arrow  can  reach  them  only  through  another's  side ;  and 
so,  what  is  suitable  to  many  is  often  effective  with  none. 
What  is  addressed  to  all  is  powerless  with  each. 


THE   DIVINITY    STUDENT.  G9 

'  The  preacher,  who  wishes  to  do  good,  will  labour  ahove 
all  to  insulate  his  hearers — to  place  each  of  them  apart,  and 
render  it  impossible  for  him  to  escape  in  the  crowd.  This 
is  precisely  the  character  of  that  domiciliary  visitation  of 
which  we  speak.  Its  intention  is  to  render  escape  impos- 
sible. It  checks  that  subtle  delusion  which  would  blunt 
and  turn  aside  the  edge  of  that  quick  and  powerful  sword 
Avliich,  in  itself,  is  "  sharper  than  a  two-edged  sword,  and 
is  a  discerner  of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart." ' 

Mr.  Itobertson  did  not,  in  his  ministry,  avoid  such 
district  gatherings  as  he  refers  to,  after  a  day's  visita- 
tion ;  but  '  the  Sword  of  tlie  Spirit '  would,  no  doubt, 
be  used  in  his  previous  visitation  with  his  accustomed 
skill,  so  that  when  the  evening  came,  the  hearers  were 
ready  to  apply  the  truth  to  themselves. 

From  these  student  days  and  onwards  he  souglit 
to  be  on  his  '  guard  against  indiscriminate  and  desul- 
tory reading  as  an  awful  consumer  of  time ; '  and  he 
made  it  a  point  to  have  always  by  him  some  i^rofit- 
ahlc  book — be  it  select  biography,  practical  theology, 
or  any  other  such  to  which  he  might  recur,  to  refresli 
his  spirit  and  get  renewed  zest  for  pure,  evangelical 
truth.  And,  along  with  all  earnest  theological  investi- 
gation,  he  was  satisfied  of  the  necessity  of  mingling 
deep  devotional  exercise  ;  for,  in  this  frame,  the  mind 
will  feel  the  suitableness,  and  authority,  and  worth  of 
many  truths  which,  in  a  state  of  levity  and  speculative 
dissipation,  would  not  make  the  same  impression. 


70  JAMES    EOBERTSOX. 

It  was  in  the  same  prayerful  spirit  that  he  attended 
the  lectures  of  his  professors,  mixed  with  his  fellow- 
students,  and  waited  on  the  ministrations  of  the 
sanctuary. 

In  another  connection  he  says  at  this  time :  '  If 
our  reading  be  confined  to  subjects  which  we  cannot 
closely,  and  continually,  and  practically  apply,  what 
it  will  foster  is  not  the  "  charity  that  edifieth,"  but 
"  the  knowledge  that  puffeth  up  " — a  rock '  which  he 
sought  to  '  learn  effectually  to  shun.' 


CHAPTER    VI. 

Prcacl^Er    anb    3HbangeIist. 
1839-1840. 

Mr.  Eobertson's  last  session  at  the  Hall  was  in  1838, 
and  the  Presbytery  of  Stirling  and  Falkirk  licensed 
him  to  preach  the  gospel  on  the  30th  of  July  1839. 
He  went  forth  to  his  work  under  a  crushing  sense  of 
his  unfitness  and  unreadiness  for  the  '  stupendous 
service '  he  had  taken  in  hand ;  not  in  the  fulness  of 
strength,  but  in  feebleness  ;  trembling  at  the  words, '  Not 
a  novice,  etc.,' — fearful  lest  he  should  run  before  being- 
called  ;  and  yet  assuring  himself  that  'His  grace  would 
be  sufficient  for  whomsoever  He  sends  into  the  work.' 

A  friend  tells  us  that  when  he  was  licensed,  and 
often  before,  it  had  been  regarded  by  many  as 
unlikely  that  he  would  ever  be  able  to  preach ;  and 
yet  remarks  that,  '  in  some  marvellous  way,  as  soon 
as  he  was  licensed  he  began  to  preach  and  to  work 
in  a  way  few  strong  men  could  have  done.' 

Writing  at  this  time  of  himself,  he  says  :  'Unlooked- 
for  mercy  meets  me  at  every  turn.      The  more  we  try 


72  JAMES    EOBERTSOX. 

to  do  fur  our  Master  the  kinder  He  shows  Himself.  .  .  . 
It  would  be  a  thing  of  hopeless  drudgery  without  the 
Spirit's  help,  but  with  it  a  thing  of  heartfelt  joy.' 

During  this  period  he  was  not  only  preaching, 
according  to  appointment,  in  various  places  on 
Sabbaths,  but  addressing  week-day  meetings  on  different 
subjects,  including  tract  distribution,  town  missions, 
temperance  ;  directing  his  attention  frequently  in 
this  way  to  the  young,  teaching  them,  among  other 
things,  their  duty  and  privilege  in  regard  to  the 
spread  of  the  gospel ;  and  specially  throwing  himself 
into  revival  and  evangelistic  work  wherever  he  had 
an  opportunity. 

About  this  time,  the  Eev.  Dr.  John  Brown  of  Edin- 
bur<];h,  in  asking  liis  services  as  '  a  gTeat  gratification  to 
his  congregation  and  to  himself,'  says  :  '  I  trust  your 
health  is  not  suffering  from  your  professional  engage- 
ments. It  is  not  generally  necessary  to  say  to  either 
young  or  old  preachers,  "  Spare  thyself ; "  but  this 
is  an  injunction  which  I  apprehend  the  Master  is  now 
laying  on  you.  Husband  your  physical  energies  ; 
moderate  exertion  will  invigorate  them,  over-exertion 
may  destroy  them.' 

We  find  in  Mr.  Robertson's  diary  some  notes 
entitled,  '  Gleanings  in  Conversation  with  Beggars,' 
which  contain  much  tliat  is  interesting  and  not  a  little 
that  is  quaint.  From  them  we  learn  how  some  of  his 
time  was  spent  during  the  short  periods  of  residence 
at  home,  before  he  entered  fully  on  his  official  duties — 


PREACHER    AND    EVANGELIST.  73 

as  well  as  on  subsequent  visits — and  also  a  few  of  the 
many  mistaken  ideas  among  the  poor  and  ignorant 
about  God  and  salvatioa.  Prom  his  room  at  Greenhill 
where  he  studied  he  could  see  the  beggars  approach 
the  back  door.  Before  they  could  be  served,  he  was 
round  in  the  avenue  at  the  end  of  the  house  waiting 
for  them.  A  younger  member  of  the  family  was 
puzzled  as  to  why  he  was  always  talking  to  them, 
but  occasionally  catching  some  words  of  the  con- 
versation, found  that  he  was  doing  earnest  work  for 
eternity.  It  is  not  necessary  for  those  who  knew  him 
to  say  that  it  was  no  official  religiousness  he  put  on  ; 
but  the  '  well  of  water  in  him '  was  '  springing  up,' 
unrestrained,  '  unto  eternal  life,'  in  office  or  out  of  it. 

Kepeatedly  he  visited  Kilsyth,  taking  part  in  the 
interesting  scenes  there  in  1839  in  connection  with 
the  ministry  of  the  Eev.  W.  H.  Burns,  D.D.  To  other 
places  he  sought  to  be  the  means  of  carrying  similar 
blessing,  with  all  the  hopefulness  of  one  who  shunned 
to  '  set  limits  to  the  Holy  One  of  Israel.' 

He  carefully  studied  the  movement  at  Kilsyth, 
rejoicing  in  all  that  seemed  wholesome  ;  and,  while 
throwing  himself  in  a  sympathetic  manner  alongside 
of  it,  he  was  learning  to  discern  for  himself  and  others 
betw^een  the  true  and  the  false. 

Well  persuaded  that  such  general  rousings  of  the 
human  spirit  from  lethargy  have  their  reason  and  root 
in  the  momentous  Facts  of  our  being  and  prospects — 
considering   them  most   reasonable  and   desirable,   he 


74:  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

was  ever  anxious  to  guide  and  keep  them  in  such 
channels  as  were  in  accordance  with  wisdom  and 
Scripture.  No  one  shrank  more  from  extravagances 
of  every  sort,  or  was  more  concerned  to  keep  the 
balance  of  truth. 

On  one  visit  to  a  revival  scene  he  says : 

'  There  could  be  less  morbid  excitation,  but  more  fervent 
affection ;  less  bustle,  but  more  Avork ;  less  feverish  agitation, 
more  wholesome  fervour. 

'  It  cannot  be  denied — we  have  no  wish  to  conceal — that 
there  are  excesses  and  extravagances.  Like  spots  on  tlie 
sun's  disc,  they  appear  more  conspicuous  from  tlie  pure  and 
holy  scenes  Avith  which  they  are  connected. 

'  Have  they  invented  any  new  scheme,  or  any  novel 
application  of  the  old  scheme  for  converting  sinners  1  No. 
The  instruments  and  weapons  emploj^ed  are  those  that  have 
been  always  found  "  mighty  to  the  pulling  down  of  strong- 
holds." Among  these  prayer  has  held  a  prominent  place. 
The  wisdom  of  God  makes  use  of  the  all-pervadiug  power 
of  sympathy.  The  ardour  reaches  from  bosom  to  bosom. 
Every  man's  countenance,  every  fixed  eye  will  preach — will 
utter  a  mysterious  language,  that  will  awaken  the  sensibilities 
of  the  most  careless.   .  .  . ' 

Some  years  before,  he  wrote :  '  Infinitely  ratlier  give 
me  the  turbulent  excesses  of  vitality,  than  the  long,  quiet, 
sealing,  fearful  slumber  of  the  lethargic  soul.' 

The  Monthly  Visitor  of  the  Scottish  Monthly  Tract 
Society  for  July  of  this  year,  on  '  The  Throne  of  Grace 
or  Ejaculatory  Prayer,'  was,  we  understand,  from  his  pen. 


PREACHER    AND    EVANGELIST.  /  3 

About  this  time  we  find  him  engaged  also  in  several 
courses  of  special  meetings,  in  Dunfermline,  Alloa, 
Bathgate,  etc.  etc.  In  arranging  for  one  of  these  in 
Alloa,  in  January  1840,  he  adds: — ■ 

'  There  is  a  tone  of  healthful  spirituality  needed  for  an 
effort  like  that  Avhich  you  contemplate,  and  a  responsibility 
attaching  to  it,  the  thouglit  of  which  makes  me  shrink  ; 
but  "  the  God  of  heaven  He  will  prosper  us,  therefore  we 
His  servants  will  arise  and  build."  Too  long  have  we  slept 
over  the  interests  of  Zion.  The  triumphing  of  the  wicked 
is  fearfid.  Scarcely  less  so  the  supineness  of  Zion's  cbildren. 
"It  is  time  to  seek  the  Lord  till  He  come  and  rain 
righteousness." ' 

He  alludes  to  similar  work  in  Dunfermline,  in  the 
following  letter  to  the  same  friend : — 

'Musselburgh,  Feb.  14,  1840. 
'  My  very  dear  Brother, — I  long  to  hear  how  matters  have 
gone  at  Dunferndine.  AVant  of  knowledge  may  leave  our 
harps  dumb,  or  want  of  certainty  of  knowledge  may  give 
jarring  notes  and  wailing  tones,  intermingled  with  our  song 
of  salvation;  but  surely  the  word  has  "run  swiftly"  and 
been  "  glorified."  Surely  angels  have  been  rejoicing  over 
fresh  conquests  to  the  sceptre  of  Immanuel.  Doubtless  the 
small  ajjparent  success  of  some  of  our  efforts  is  just  owing 
to  our  unwillingness  to  cast  ourselves  entirely  on  the  Lord. 
We  arc  everlastingly  grappling  at  His  honour.  There  has 
been  a  looking  to  the  supposed  disparity  of  our  means  to 
our  ends,  rather  than  to  His  uplifted  arm,  and  according  to 
our  unbelief  so  has  it  been  to  us. 


76  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

'  I  was  much  struck  and  quickened  on  that  very  delightfid 
Thursday  at  Bo'ness  by  the  text  for  the  day  previous  in  the 
Christian  Almanacli,  "Ye  shall  not  tempt  the  Lord  your 
God" — in  the  passage  is  added  (Deut.  vi.) — "  as  ye  tempted 
Him  in  Massah."  And  that  tempting  was  their  chiding  for 
Avater — the  indulgence  of  the  dishonouring  suspicion,  "  Is 
the  Lord  among  us  or  not  1 "  and  their  impious  demand  for 
a  proof  of  His  presence.  But  oh,  the  superaboundings  of 
His  grace  over  the  aboundings  of  their  sin — and  ours  ! 

'  "  Behold  He  smote  the  rock,  and  forth 
Came  streams  of  waters  great." 

'  The  exercises  of  last  week  did  send  me  back  to  my  post 
with  greater  fervour  of  trust  in  Christ's  grace  and  compassion 
for  the  perishing.  I  do  feel  as  in  a  dry  and  thirsty  land 
here,  "  where  no  Avater  is,"  and  few,  few  are  disposed  to 
speak  to  the  rock,  that  it  may  give  forth  its  streams.  I  am 
"sowing  among  thorns"- — -"prophesying  to  dry  bones." 
..."  Come  from  the  four  winds,  0  breath  ! " ' 

The  '  post '  to  which  he  refers  in  tlie  letter  quoted 
was  in  Musselburgh.  He  was  requested  to  go  thither 
early  in  1840,  by  the  Presbytery  of  Edinburgh,  to  try 
and  revive  a  cause  that  had  been  '  wasted  and  well- 
nigh  wrecked'  during  the  short  ministry  of  an  imme- 
diate predecessor. 

A  few  sentences  from  a  letter  to  a  friend  may 
indicate  the  state  of  the  congregation,  as  it  touched 
his  peaceable  nature,  and  also  the  kind  of  work  to 
which  he  had  to  set  himself : — 


PREACHER    AND    EVANGELIST.  77 

'  The  spirits  of  the  belligerent  party  are  surging  "like  tln^ 
troubled  sea."  In  such  an  element  He  cannot  dwell  "whose 
eniblem  is  the  Dove.  The  hosts  of  the  worldly,  glad  of  any 
pretext  for  repudiating  Christianity,  are  passing  by,  wagging 
their  heads,  and  saying,  "  Behold  how  these  Christians  hate 
one  another !  "  Truly,  my  dear  friend,  the  deepest,  deadliest 
wounds  that  can  be  given  are  received  when  Christ  is 
"  wounded  in  the  house  of  His  friends."  The  Sabbath 
attendance  has  about  doubled  these  two  days.  It  used  to 
vary  from  thirty  to  eighty.  Tlie  Sabbath  -  school  classes 
which  I  have  commenced  present  a  field  of  great  promise. 
I  have  a  most  interesting  group  of  more  advanced  young 
persons,  on  the  Monday,  and  a  Aveekly  meeting  for  revival 
l)urposes  on  the  Friday  evenings.  Cease  not,  beloved  brother, 
to  supplicate  grace  to  help  me  in  this  time  of  need. 

'Hundreds  are  asleep,  or  dreaming  that  they  are  on  the 
Lord's  side,  while  they  care  not  for  "  the  fatherless  in  their 
affliction,"  and  are  all  over  "  spotted  with  the  world."  .  ,  . 
The  vile  laugh  at  the  shaking  of  our  spear,  if  the  Captain  of 
the  Lord's  host  be  not  with  us.  I  feel  wholly  slmt  'iq> 
to  help  from  on  high  !  Blessed  necessity  !  Oh  to  be  as 
l^olished  shafts  in  Hits  quiver,  and  sharp  in  the  hearts  of 
His  enemies  ! 

'  I  expect  much  from  a  negotiation,  which  I  entered  into 

yesterday,  with  good  JNIr.  and  Mr.  ,  in  regard  to 

co-operation  in  a  Sabbath  evening  meeting,  in  each  other's 
churches.  It  was  with  a  view  of  preparing  the  way  for  a 
week-day  evening  series,  and  if  I  get  this  plan  carried  into 
efi'ect,  I  know  I  may  depend  on  your  kind  aid,  should  you 
find  it  at  all  possible.  .  .  .  Oh,  let  us  be  fellow-intercessors 
and  fellow-helpers  on  the  way  to  our  Father's  house. 


78  JAMES    ROBEETSOX. 

' "  Glorioiis  things  are  spoken  of  thee,  Zion,  city  of 
God.".  .  .' 

Some  weeks  later  he  writes  to  the  same : — 

'  I  long  to  see  you  that  we  }uay  pubhsh  with  the  voice  of 
tlianksgiving,  and  tell  of  all  His  wondrous  works.  He  is 
making  waters  to  l)reak  forth  in  this  wilderness,  and  streams 
in  this  desert,  I  have  daily  visits  from  inquirers.  There 
is  real  heart- work  going  on.  .  .  .' 

And  referring  to  a  second  series  of  meetings  about 
to  be  held  in  Alloa,  he  says : — 

'  Oh  that  He  may  rend  the  heavens,  and  come  down  to 
tlie  rescue  of  ^lansoul.  .  .  .  Let  us  ask  and  expect  largely. 
"  Intimate  the  morning  meetings?"  Surely.  They  are  the 
true  meter  of  the  interest.  All  our  success  liere  is  to  he 
traced  to  prayer  ! 

'  As  to  preaching  on  the  Sabbath  evening,  I  ireed  not  say 
how  glad  I  would  be  to  try  it,  if  I  did  not  apprehend  danger. 
During  the  past  ten  days  I  have  preached  seven  times,  and 
addressed  six,  so  that  my  strength  is  well  worn.  I  might 
disable  myself  for  the  work  of  the  week  by  a  Sabbath  of  exces- 
sive effort.  Could  3^ou  not  get  some  other  to  take  half  of  the 
day  ?  I  dare  not  engage  on  any  other  terms.  Alas  for  this 
"  vile  body"  !  How  it  encumbers  and  weighs  us  down.  Oh 
that  we  liad  a  thousand  hearts  and  a  thousand  tongues  to 
magnify  the  name  that  is  "  above  every  name." 

'  "  His  worth,  if  all  the  nations  knew, 

Sure  the  whole  world  would  love  Him  too."  ' 

Besides  the  general  work  of  these  meetings  in 
Alloa,  '  he  went  and  hunted  out  people '  in  the  poorer 


PREACHER  AND  EVANGELIST.        79 

districts,  and,  it  is  understood,  held  little  meetings 
there,  engaged  tlie  young  to  visit  the  sick,  etc. 

One  says  of  this  time : — '  He  had  certainly  a  most 
extraordinary  hold  over  people's  minds.  I  have  tried 
to  analyse  it,  but  I  cannot.  I  know  that  when  I  had 
not  seen  him  for  years,  he  would  only  have  had  to  say 
to  me  I  should  do  a  thing,  and  I  would  have  done  it, 
never  lookino;  at  difficulties.' 

Soon  after  these  meetings,  one  congregation  in 
Alloa  in  connection  with,  which  they  were  held  (the 
First  United  Secession)  had  occasion  to  consider  the 
propriety  of  engaging  a  missionary  to  labour  in  the 
neglected  districts,  and  to  act  as  a  partial  assistant 
to  their  own  minister,  the  Eev,  P.  ]\I'Dowall,  who  was 
then  in  broken  health.  A  congregational  meeting 
was  called  to  consider  the  question,  when  a  new  and 
unexpected  thought  was  found  to  have  taken  posses- 
sion of  the  people ;  and  it  was  resolved  by  them  to 
take  the  necessary  steps  to  invite  Mr.  Eobertson  to  be 
colleague  and  successor  to  their  pastor,  and  to  assist  in 
missionary  work  as  well.  After  these  wishes  began 
to  be  first  mooted,  Mr.  Eobertson  carefully  sought  to 
avoid  putting  himself  in  the  way  of  the  people,  and 
regarded  the  whole  affair  as  having  niucli  in  it  of  the 
stuff  that  dreams  are  made  of.  But  the  hearts  of  the 
people  seemed  set  on  him. 

The  call  had  some  attractions,  and  when  there  was 
nothing  indistinct  or  dubious  in  '  the  vision,'  it  appeared 
imperative   on   him   to  ponder  it,  with  all  the  calm- 


80  JAMES    ROBERTSON". 

ness  he  was  able  to  command — a  calmness  that  was 
weighted  with  his  '  apprehensive  and  overwhehning 
consciousness  of  inadequacy  to  such  a  work.' 

After  six  months'  hibour  at  Musselburgh  as  a  pro- 
bationer, the  centre o'ation  there  also  called  him  to  be 
its  pastor.  '  The  news  of  Musselburgh  did  not  sur- 
prise me '  (it  was  said  to  him).  '  The  people  there 
would  neither  have  been  grateful  enough,  nor  selfish 
enough  if  they  had  not  called  you.'  Other  competing 
calls  came,  at  the  same  time,  from  Dunfermline  and 
Partick. 

In  the  midst  of  the  consideration  of  these  calls,  his 
spiritual  work,  in  various  places,  was  rejoicing  his 
heart,  and  he  was  ratherincj  fruit  which  continues  to 
this  day. 

He  writes  to  ]\Ir.  M'Dowall  (to  whom  several  of  the 
foregoing  and  following  letters  are  addressed) : — ■ 

' .  .  .  Circumstances  have  set  me  a-thinking,  tlii^  week, 
of  a  sermon  on  "fighting  the  good  fight  of  faith."  I  feel 
a  firm  faith  that  the  cause  of  genuine  revival  among  you 
will,  ill  tlie  long  run,  he  promoted  Ijy  all  such  innocuous 
attempts  of  Satan  to  impede  it.  Oh  for  firmer  faith  in 
Divine  direction,  amid  the  present  perplexed  intertwinements 
of  my  path  !  I  do  wish  to  give  myself  up  to  the  guidance 
t)f  that  Pole  Star,  and  to  follow  ichitliersoever  it  leads. 
When  almost  sinking  "at  His  feet  as  dead"  with  anxiety, 
I  am  often  rallied  by  recollecting  how  He  laid  His  right 
hand,  with  solemn  grandeur  and  gentleness,  on  John,  saying, 
"  Fear  not,  I  am  the  Living  One." 

'  He  "  lias  the  key  of  death,"  and  so  long  as  He  has  work 


PREACHER    AXD    EVANGELIST.  81 

for  either  of  ns  to  do,  He  will  neither  turn  the  key,  nor 
suffer  man  or  devil  to  injure  a  hair  of  our  head.  Oh  to 
learn  more  confiding  love,  where  John  learned  it,  on  the 
hosom  of  the  Master  ! ' 

'  I  have  had  visits  this  week  from  the  commissioners  of 
the  different  congregations.  .  .  I  wish  to  put  a  blank  for 
ecerytli'uKj  into  that  Hand  which  was  nailed  to  the  cross  for 
me. 

'  Xever  was  preaching  such  sweet  work  as  it  is  now-a-days 
surely  !  I  think  I  have  seen  results  that  it  were  worth  while 
to  have  come  into  being  for,  worth  living  for,  worth  dying 
for,  a  thousand  times  over  ! ' 

In  some  of  the  evangelistic  work  to  which  reference 
has  been  made,  Mr.  James  Morison,  a  fellow-student 
(afterwards  minister  at  Kilmarnock,  and  now  Principal 
of  the  Evangelical  Union  Church,  Glasgow),  was  a 
fellow-labourer.  Together  they  visited  many  places 
in  the  middle  and  north  of  Scotland.  In  the  north 
as  well  as  elsewhere,  their  united  work  is  still  remem- 
bered as  fruitful  of  good.  It  is  said  that  in  their 
meetings  Mr.  Morison  usually  took  the  first  part, 
addressing  himself  to  the  conscience  with  the  object 
of  arousing  and  alarming  ;  wldle  it  fell  to  Mr.  liobertson 
afterwards  to  set  forth  free  grace — '  the  blessings  of 
goodness '  which  anticipate  and  are  prepared  for  the 
cry  of  need. 

The  die  was  cast  in  regard  to  Alloa,  and  he  wrote  to 
the  clerk  of  Presbytery  : — • 

'  I  beg  to  make  known  through  you  to  the  Presbytery.  .  .   , 
F 


82  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

that,  after  mature  deliberation,  I  find  it  my  duty  to  decline 
the  call  addressed  to  me  by  the  first  congregation  of  Alloa. 
My  feelings  towards  that  congregation  I  shall  probably  have 
other  opportunities  of  expressing  to  themselves.  The  pain  I 
feel  at  thus  disappointing  their  wishes  is  greatly  alleviated  by 
the  fact  that  they  are  already  so  highly  favoured  with  an 
efficient  pastorship.' 

Meantime  lie  writes  to  their  pastor: — 

'.  .  .  .  I  Avas  detained  (blessed  detention)  at  Bridge  of 
Teith,  till  late  last  iright,  by  inquirers.  They  came  sua  sponte. 
God  was  among  us  of  a  truth.  I  have  been  preparing  some- 
thing for  the  afternoon  on  "the  waters"  from  "the  well  of 
life."  ... 

'  The  accompanying  letter  has  fallen  in  my  way  to-night, 

and  I  have  requested  the  loan  of  it  from  .     I  send  it  to 

you  to  "  comfort  you  concerning  the  work  and  labour  of 
your  hands."  .  .  .  How  much  more  of  the  seed  which  you 
have  watched,  and  wept,  and  prayed  over,  may  be  germinat- 
ing beneath  the  soil !  .  .   . 

'  I  feel  every  day  more  deeply  the  solemn  necessity  of 
simple  views  of  the  gospel,  and  of  vigilant  solicitude  that 
they  be  exhibited  just  as  they  stand  in  the  record  of  mercy, 
without  adulteration,  addition,  or  change.  It  is  no  light 
matter  to  handle  eternal  truth,  connected  as  it  is- — e\ery 
Avord  of  it — with  the  honour  of  Jesus.  .  .  .' 

During  the  years  1834  and  1835,  Mr.  Robertson 
seems  to  have  read  and  thought  not  a  little  on  the 
nature  and  extent  of  the  Atonement,  and  questions 
akin  to  these  ;  and  we  find  notes  expressing  in   un- 


PREACHER   AXD    EVANGELIST.  83 

mistakeable  terms  the  conclusions  to  which  he  was 
led.  Thus  he  saw  his  way,  even  at  this  early  period, 
to  that  unfettered  offer  of  the  blessings  of  salvation 
which  is  now  happily  characteristic  of  evangelical 
preaching  in  Scotland,  but  which,  at  that  time,  some 
did  not  feel  warranted  to  make,  through  fear  of  not 
giving  due  prominence  to  Divine  Sovereignty  in  the 
work  of  redemption.  Whilst  he  held  unhesitatingly 
the  great  truth  on  the  Divine  side  of  the  question, 
his  conclusion  on  the  human  side  is  found  expressed 
in  such  words  as  these :  '  Christ  died  for  me  and  for 
every  man  in  such  a  sense  as  warrants  me  and  every 
man  to  regard  the  offer  of  pardon  as  made  to  us 
without  distinction,'  and  more  in  the  same  strain. 


CHAPTEK   VII. 
fHinistrg  in  fHussclbtircjf). 

1840-1847. 

Of  the  four  calls,  '  he  bravely  chose  that  which,  to  the 
common  view,  seemed  the  least  desirable,  where  the 
work  would  be  the  heaviest,  the  battle  the  hardest,' 
and  the  temporal  advantages  to  be  reaped  the  lowest. 

The  ordination  took  place  at  Musselburgh  on 
Tuesday  the  27th  of  October  1840. 

'  It  was  then,'  writes  the  Rev.  Dr.  Joseph  Brown,  at  that 
time  in  Dalkeith,  '  that  my  acquaintance  with  ]\Ir.  Robertson 
began.  The  intercourse  of  neighbour  ministers  shortly  rijiened 
into  friendship,  and  that  friendship  led  to  frequent  fellowship, 
in  the  course  of  which  we  never  knew  the  joy  of  reconcilia- 
tion, for  we  had  never  known  alienation  or  estrangement. 

'  I  remember  well  with  what  energy  and  zeal  he  set  himself 
to  build  up  the  walls  that  had  been  broken  down,  and  to 
repair  the  desolations  that  had  been  wrought,  and  with  what 
success  his  efforts  were  crowned.  He  succeeded  in  infusing 
something  of  his  own  spirit  into  those  whom  his  ministry 
drew  around  him  ;  and,  by  God's  blessing  on  His  own  work, 
and  the  efforts  of  those  who  had  a  mind  to  work  along  with 


MINISTRY    IN    MUSSELBURGH.  85 

him,  the  congregation  grew  in  minibers  and  influence,  and 
attained  a  condition  of  comparative  j)rosperity.' 

A  week  after  his  ordination  lie  wrote : — 

' .  .  .  I  have  made  shift  to  occupy  once  more  my  little 
sentry-box  here.  It  was  a  melting  day  to  me.  The  idea 
came  over  me  several  times,  so  as  almost  to  unman  me,  that 
if  the  trumpet  be  not  seasonably  blown,  the  ruin  of  souls — 
the  victims  of  my  unfaithfulness — may  be  found  charged  to 
my  account  in  the  book  of  God's  remembrance  !  Oh  pray 
hard,  my  dear  .  ...  I  need  wisdom,  much  "  meek- 
ness of  wisdom."  .  .  .' 

And  a  little  later  : — 

'  My  tale  of  work  here  is  growing  very  heavy,  but  the 
Lord  is  very  gracious,  and  raises  up  friends  on  all  sides. 
The  "  well  of  life  "  is  springing  up  hopefully  in  some  hearts. 
...  I  know  you  bear  me  on  your  heart.  In  Him  Avho 
bears  us  both  on  His,  I  am,  yours  ever  lovingly,         J.  R.' 

' .  .  .  Since  the  loss  of  the  fishermen  I  have  been  preach- 
ing to  that  class  every  week.  The  Lord  is  setting  before  me 
"  an  open  door."  I  am  not  anxious  about  the  future.  My 
business  is  with  present  duty.  Usefidness,  usefulness  !  that 
is  the  point.  The  congregation  is  daily  increasing.  .  .  . 
'Tis  like  a  little  heaven — to  go  to  heaven  in — when  we  get 
low  at  His  feet,  and  feast  (while  feeding  others)  on  "  Love 
Divine,  all  love  excelling." ' 

Mrs.  Lyall,  of  Adelaide,  South  Australia  (wife  of 
the  Eev.  James  Lyall),  who  has  long  occupied  a  posi- 
tion of  much  usefulness  there,  thus  records  in  1883 
her  impression  of  those  early  days  : — • 


86  JAMES    EOBERTSON. 

'  My  early  recollections  go  as  far  back  as  forty-three  years. 
I  "was  at  his  ordination  in  the  little  church  of  Bridge  Street, 
Musselburgh.  All  the  others  of  our  family  who  were  present 
that  day  have  joined  the  family  above.  Mr.  Eobertson  had 
other  calls,  if  I  mistake  not,  and  chose  Musselburgh  because 
it  was  in  a  depressed  state  at  that  time. 

'  Our  i^arents  joined  his  church  at  his  ordination,  because  of 
his  Avinning  poAver  with  children.  I  used  to  hear  he  had 
only  tAvelve  families  on  whom  he  coi\ld  count ;  but  he  soon 
gathered  round  him  a  larger  and  Avarmly  attached  congrega- 
tion. Some,  like  ourselves,  Avalked  several  miles  to  church, 
coming  from  Edinburgh,  Portobello,  etc. 

'  Mr.  Eobertson's  aim  Avas  to  make  the  congregation  like  a 
large,  loving,  busy  family.  The  ncAv  members  then  Avere 
ahvays  publicly  received  in  the  church,  as  is  common  noAv, 
and  he  contended  that  no  Avorldly  introduction  Avas  needed 
after  that ;  and  the  old  members  Avere  expected  to  fraternize 
fortliAvith  Avith  the  neAV  ones. 

'  The  Sabbath  services  had  such  a  charm  for  us  children 
that  to  be  obliged  to  remain  at  home  Avas  no  small  trial. 
A  rainy  day  (and  it  can  rain  in  dear  old  Scotland)  AA'as 
never  imagined  to  be  a  hindrance.  We  simply  dressed 
accordingly. 

'The  interval  betAveen  morning  and  afternoon  service 
Avas  spent  in  the  session-room,  and  it  Avas  often  made  radiant 
to  us  little  ones  by  Mr.  Eobertson's  looking  in  to  speak  to 
my  father  (avIio  was  one  of  his  elders),  Avhile  Avith  his  tivo 
hands  he  Avas  going  over  all  of  us,  giving  each  a  benign 
look,  and  a  hearty  shake  of  the  hand.  Hoav  Ave  did  love 
him  !  and  so  heavenly  did  he  seem  to  us,  that  my  sister, 
whom  he  baptized  in  1841,  remarked,  Avlien  quite  a  little 


MINISTRY    IN    MUSSELBURGH.  87 

girl,  that  "our  Saviour,"  she  supposed,  "would  be  just  like 
Mr.  Robertson." 

'He  was  often  troubled  then  with  a  constitutional 
affection  of  the  heart,  and  his  impression  was  that  his 
life  would  be  a  short  one,  and  certainly  he  made  the  most 
of  it. 

'  The  Sabbath  school  met  from  four  till  five,  and  even 
after  his  two  sermons,  Avhen  ho  must  have  been  quite 
exhausted,  he  generally  gave  us  a  few  words  at  the  close, 
and,  whatever  else  was  forgotten,  they  Avere  not. 

'  In  his  ordinary  discourses  he  always  dropped  some 
crumbs  for  the  children,  which  kej^t  us  on  the  outlook. 
Then  there  were  periodical  sermons  to  the  young,  in  the- 
afternoon,  when  there  was  a  specially  large  attendance ;  for 
the  parents,  as  used  to  be  remarked,  liked  "the  bairns' 
meat."  It  is  needless  to  add  that  the  love  of  the  Divine 
Redeemer  to  the  young  was  his  favourite  theme  on  these 
occasions. 

'  Mr.  Robertson  educated  his  young  people  thoroughly  in 
their  duty  to  missions,  home  and  foreign.  He  had  a  fine 
band  of  active  and  attached  young  men. 

'I  remember  one  benighted  village  at  which  a  service  was 
held  by  two  or  three  young  men  on  their  way  home  from 
church. 

'  And  as  regards  foreign  missions,  it  cheered  his  heart  when 
one  of  our  family  i  (long  since  gone  to  rest)  Avent,  years 
after,  to  labour  m  the  "West  Indies ;  and  still  later,  another 
— she  whom  he  baptized — Avent  as  a  missionary's  Avife  to  the 
ISTcAV  Hebrides ;  ^  lier  missionary  zeal  being  kindled  from  her 

^  The  Rev.  Wm.  AVhitecross,  Grand  Cayman. 
^  Mrs.  Patou,  of  Tanna. 


0  0  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

earliest  clays  by  such  verses  as  :  "  Would  you  wish  to  be 
told  the  best  use  of  a  penny  ? "  etc. 

'Mr.  Robertson  also  established  a  mothers'  meeting,  the 
influence  of  Avhicli  was  very  helpful  and  Ijlessed  to  anxious 
mothers.  I  used  to  hear  often  of  this  agency,  my  mother 
being  secretary. 

'  He  did  not  spare  himself  from  outside  work  either. 
When  he  came  to  visit  us,  he  would  hold  a  service  in  a 
schoolroom  in  the  town  in  which  we  lived ;  and  as  it  was 
too  far  for  him  to  return  that  evening,  unless  he  drove,  he 
remained  all  night  with  us.  These  were  as  angels'  visits ! 
The  first  one  I  specially  remember.  The  hours  after  the 
service  sped  so  rapidly,  first  in  drawing  from  us  what  we 
recollected  of  the  sermon,  and  bright,  loving  talk,  then  in 
listening  to  his  converse  with  our  parents,  that  twelve 
o'clock  had  arrived  before  we  were  aware,  and  we  children 
had  to  say  "  Good-night " — going  reluctantly  away,  feeling  it 
was  all  too  short,  in  such  loved  society.  At  family  worship 
he  asked  that  we  children  might  so  live  that  others  might 
take  knowledge  of  us  that  Ave  had  been  with  Jesus. 

'  During  those  years  Ave  Avere  often  sent  messages  by  my 
father  to  Mr.  Robertson,  but  I  never  recollect  his  missing 
an  opportunity  of  speaking  to  me  about  the  Saviour,  and 
pressing  home  His  claims  upon  my  love  and  service.  It  Avas 
done  in  no  formal  Avay,  but  out  of  the  very  abundance  of  a 
heart  full  of  love  to  Christ,  and  yearning  for  souls ;  and 
though  the  young  heart  Avas  too  timid  to  respond,  the  impres- 
sion Avas  made,  never  perhaps  to  be  effaced. 

'In  the  year  1843,  Avhen  the  thrill  of  sorroAV  ran  through 
the  churches  at  the  early  death  of  the  sainted  M'Cheyne,  he 
made  full  use  of  it,  and  seemed  doubly  earnest  to  work  Avhile 


MINISTRY   IN   MUSSELBUEGH.  89 

it  was  day,  inspiring  others  with  his  own  divinely-received 
fervour. 

'In  1846  Ave  passed  from  his  ministry  to  that  of  jMr. 
INI'Dowall,  and  he  kindly  asked  two  of  us  to  write  regularly 
to  him.  My  business  was  to  give  an  account  of  the 
sermons  we  heard ;  thus  he  liept  hold  of  us,  while  yet  we 
had  made  no  open  profession  of  being  Christ's. 

'Various  other  incidents  come  into  my  mind,  but  it  is 
difficult  to  Avrite  Avithout  being  personal. 

'  About  my  childhood's  most  beloved  minister,  I  have  had 
tAvo  thoughts  more  or  less  life-long.  One  is,  that  the  theme 
of  the  successful  preacher  must  be  "  Jesus  Christ  and  Him 
crucified  ; "  the  other  is,  the  enduring  influence  of  a  pastor 
Avho  can  reach  the  hearts  of  little  children. 

'  Of  course  Mr.  Robertson  Avas  naturalli/  \'ery  attractive 
to  young  people ;  but  if  young  ministers,  not  so  gifted, 
Avould  take  special  care  to  cultivate  the  Avinning  grace  that 
draAvs  the  children,  for  their  ]\Iaster's  sake,  they  Avould  be 
much  more  influential  in  leading  them  to  Him.  Mr.  Robert- 
son's Avords  to  us  about  the  Lord  Jesus  Avere  so  genuine,  so 
bright,  and  so  loving,  that  Ave  could  never  think  them  Aveaii- 
some  or  commonplace ;  and,  all  through  life,  to  think  of  liiin 
has  been  to  remember  his  Master.' 

Another  Avrites  : — 

' .  .  .  I  had  no  close  intercourse  Avith  him,  though  I  kncAv 
him  very  Avell,  and  loved  him. 

'  When  I  was  young,  I  used  to  go  to  hear  him  at  Mussel- 
burgh, and  Avould  have  then  Avalked  ten  miles,  and  sat  hours, 
to  hear  him  preach.  There  Avas  something  wonderfully  attract- 
ive about  his  youthful  ministry — great  natural  poAver  and 


90  JAMES    KOBEPtTKSON. 

eloquence,  a  melting,  winning  manner,  and  also  very  clear 
and  powcrfid  expositions  of  the  truth.  So  it  all  appeared 
to  me  then.  What  I  Avould  think  noAV  I  know  not ;  I 
liaA'e  no  reason  to  think  I  would  think  differently.  He 
seemed,  up  to  the  last  of  my  personal  knowledge  of  him, 
to  be  always  the  same  loving,  gentle-spirited  man,  averse 
to  sectarian  bigotries,  and  willing  to  "  forgather "  with  all 
Avho  loved  the  Lord.' 

From  Musselburgh,  Mr.  Eobertson  writes  : — 

'October  11,  1841. 

'  "We  have  had  a  prayer-encompassed  week.  The  Lord 
has  been  uniting  our  hearts  to  call  upon  His  name.  Nearly 
all  parties  here  have  been  co-operating — praying,  etc.,  in 
each  other's  churches.  .  .  .  The  Master  is  manifesting  com- 
passion and  favour  to  me  in  my  work  here,  beyond  all 
expectation  great.     The  joy  is  ours,  the  glory  His  ! ' 

In  asking  ministerial  assistance  at  an  evening  social 
meeting,  he  says  : — '  The  general  plan  ...  is  to  insist  upon 
all  the  different  ways  in  which  a  truly  Christian  people,  in 
all  their  different  spheres  of  life,  may  aid  their  minister,  in 

the  promotion  of  the  work  of  God.     Your  friend takes 

the  general  topic,  speaks  to  elders,  you  to  mothers,  if 

possible,  etc' 

On  another  similar  occasion  : — '  I  announce  as  your  text  for 
the  anniversary  meeting  :  "The  church  ought  to  be  liberal." 
Don't  spare  the  churls.' 

'  I  have  had  a  weary,  weeping  seed-time  here,  but  the 
harvest  is  begun.  .  .  .  Street  preaching  on  the  Sabbath 
evenings   I  have    found  to  be    a    remarkable  auxiliary,   in 


MINISTRY    IN    MUSSELBURGH.  91 

connection  Avith  our  congregational  Christian  Instruction 
Society.  The  establishment  of  this  species  of  agency  is 
quite  a  novelty  in  this  burgh.  I  am  persuaded  that  the 
instrumentality  of  such  "  helpers "  in  our  churches  admits 
of  much  addition  and  vast  improvement. 

'There  is  another  plan  which  I  have  found  singularly 
successful.  The  folks  pour  in  questions  (anonymously)  on 
Bible  subjects ;  to  the  public  answering  of  which  I  have 
had  to  devote  an  additional  evening  every  Aveek.  Not  one 
(among  many  scores  which  have  been  already  taken  up) 
has  been  a  question  of  curiosity  or  of  speculation.  They 
come  out  in  r;nwonted  numbers  to  all  the  week-evening 
meetings,  and  yesterday  afternoon  the  chvirch  was  nearly  as 
full  as  it  was  when  you  preached  among  us  "  the  unsearchable 
riches  of  Christ."  My  strength  is  carried  to  its  full  stretch, 
but  oh,  how  delightful  the  exercise  of  faith  in  going  to  the 
Strong  for  more  ! 

'I  do  fear  that  "  the  clouds  "  of  Synod-time  may  "return 
after  the  rain"  yet.  "We  were  indeed  "led  in  aAvay  that  we 
knew  not,"  and  foxmd  ourselves  "  like  them  that  dreamed," 
believing  not  for  joy  and  wondering.  But  it  is  much  too 
soon  yet 

'  " to  speak  of  it  and  smile, 

Like  mariners,  who,  on  the  peaceful  shore, 
Sit,  and  with  pleasure  talk  of  dangers  o'er. " 


'Must  we  not  "rejoice  with  trembling 


"  ?• 


'Xovember  17,  1841. 
' .  .   .  Yours  has  found  me  a  bit  of  an  invalid,  i.e.  con- 
valescent;  but,   since  this   day  week,   I  have  been  passing 
through  a  pretty  sharp  storm   of  tribulation.     There  is  no 


92  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

denying  that  extra  work,  with  exposure  to  cold,  brought  it 
on.  .  .  .  The  doctor  tells  me  I  must  spend  another  silent 
SabbatJi,  else  I  will  be  unfitted  for  going  to  you.  Eather 
than  that  this  should  be  the  consequence,  I  will  not  "  peep, 
or  mutter,  or  move  the  wing."  ...  I  wish,  by  all  means,  to 
say  Yes  to  you  and  your  children.  [This  was  in  response 
to  a  request  that  he  would  address  the  Sabbath-school  child- 
ren at  their  annual  meeting.]  .  .  .  Have  I  anything  to  do 
on  Sabbath  but  the  evening  sermon  and  table  address  ? 
No  fencings,^  I  hope  ?  Please  relieve  me  from  them.  .  .  . 
If  you  intend  throwing  off  a  hymn  for  each  of  the  children, 
I  could  send  you  a  nice  new  one  on  missions.  .  .  .' 

In  reply  to  the  remark,  '  So  you  have  been  putting  a  rod 
into  your  Father's  hand,  and  He  has  been  using  it.  The 
Lord  bless  the  smiting,  etc.,' — he  says  :  '  Like  dew  upon  the 
parched  spirit,  yours,  so  tender,  so  soothing,  came  in  jvist 
now,  and  found  me  "sitting  alone  and  keeping  silence, 
because  of  this  rod."  1  feel  as  if  all  the  world  had  gone 
wrong — "all  the  foundations  out  of  course,"  when  Sabbath 
"  returns,  but  not  to  me  returns  "  libortj^  to  plead  for  God. 
Our  Father  knows  what  will  be  a  trial  to  us.  I  have  not  vis 
to  preach  to-morrow,  however  eager.   .   .   . 

'  Please  do  exempt  me  from  these  fencings,  and  the  rest 
may  all  stand.  The  Monday  evening  will  suit  nicely  for  the 
nursing  of  the  lambs.     I  shall  rejoice  to  lend  a  hand. 

'  Let  us  make  a  point  of  special  prayer  for  special  visitations 

^  The  word  '  fencing  '  refers  to  the  custom ,  common  in  former  days 
in  Scotland,  of  '  fencing  the  tables,'  i.e.  indicating  classes  of  persons 
■who  had  no  right  to  partake  of  the  Communion.  This  was  usually- 
done  on  the  Communion  day  itself,  and  in  that  respect  was  uncon- 
genial to  Mr,  Robertson's  mind  ;  he  considered  it  should  be  done  at 
an  earlier  stage. 


MINISTRY    IX    MUSSELBURGH.  93 

of  heavenly  influence  at  your  solemn  feast, — "  as  in  the  days 

of  old.'" 

'  "  As  we  Lave  seen  Him  heretofore 
Within  that  holy  place." 

Hasten  on,  happy  eternity,  when  we  shall  see  His  face, 
without  a  veil  between.  "  Our  light  affliction."  .  .  .  My 
love  to  the  little  ones.  God  Himself  be  their  Father,  the 
Guide  of  their  youth,  their  unfailing  Friend.' 

In  July  1842,  Mr.  Eobertson  was  under  call  to  the 
pastorate  of  the  congregation  worsliij^ping  in  Lothian 
Jioad  Church,  Edinburgh.  The  call  had  been  signed 
by  879  members  and  adherents.  Notwithstanding  the 
recognition  of  this  as  a  specially  encouraging  post  of 
labour,  and  of  much  in  it  that  ministered  to  the 
gratification  of  earthly  motives,  there  was  still  the 
unbiassed  wish  to  listen  honestly  to  the  responding 
Spirit,  and  to  pursue  faithfully  the  path  of  known  duty, 
whithersoever  it  led.  It  ended,  as  usual  with  him, 
on  what  seemed  from  most  points  of  view  the  self- 
sacrificing  side.  The  call  was  refused,  and  Mr. 
Iiobertson  remained  in  Musselburgh  six  years  longer. 

Writing  about  a  year  and  half  later,  he  says  (in 
connection  with  some  ministerial  engagements)  : — 

'  "  Man  proposeth,  but  God  disposeth."  He  leads  us  round, 
but  He  leads  us  right.  ...  I  preached  j^esterday  with  great 
comfort.  The  Lord  is  "  making  us  glad,  according  to  the 
days  wherein  He  hath  afflicted  us."  Uh  for  a  praising  heart  ! 
Do  you  remember  the  hynni  ? 

'  "  I  asked  the  Lord  that  I  might  grow 
In  faith  and  love  and  every  grace." 


94  JAitES    ROBERTSOX. 

'  I  hope  I  have  been  learning  to  be  less  solicitous  about 
gilding  or  ornamenting  the  "  Sword  of  the  Spirit,"  and  more 
about  trusting  to  its  native  power.  How  much  of  self  one 
may  detect  in  all  his  work !  and  how  often  we  dress  up 
the  abomination  in  the  garb  of  Christian  zeal,  and  tlien 
admire  it !  But  it  will  not  do.  Self  anust  be  in  the  dust, 
and  Christ  exalted. 

'  Xeed  we  feel  surprised,  if  He  every  now  and  then  causes 
a  thorn  hedge  to  grow  up  before  us  ?  This  He  has  promised, 
to  keep  us  from  wandering.  INIy  beloved  friend,  when  past 
unprofitableness  grieves  us,  let  the  supports  and  revivings 
Ave  have  so  frequently  received  excite  our  gratitude,  and  the 
promises,  which  "flow  clear  as  crystal  from  the  throne  of  the 
Lamb,"  refresh  us  in  going  forward. 

'  We  know  not  which  of  us  shall  first  cross  Jordan — we 
shall  meet  on  the  shores  of  the  Canaan  that  we  love,  to 
Aveep  and  sin  no  more  ! 

'  I  trust  your  dear  little  girls  are  not  tliinking  I  have  for- 
gotten them,  or  my  promise  to  them.  Something  that  I 
Avished  to  send  them  I  have  not  yet  succeeded  in  securing. 
Will  they  have  a  little  more  patience  Avith  me,  and  accei^t, 
in  the  meauAvhile,  of  all  possible  love,  Avith  tliese  little  books, 
Avhich  I  have  just  noAV  found  in  my  desk  ? 

.  .  .  All  the  sanctifying  and  consolatory  blessings  of  the 
covenant  be  yours,  imparted  to  you  all,  as  you  need,  all 
your  journey  through,  till  you  reach  your  happy  home.' 

We  find  among  his  papers  belonging  to  this  time, 
one  containing  the  '  Constitution  and  Laws  of  the 
Musselburgh  Association  for  the  Promotion  of  Tcm- 
'pcrance  through  means  of  the   Church  ' — a  '  society  of 


MINISTRY    IX    MUSSELBURGH.  95 

professing  Christian  abstainers/  whose  '  specific  object ' 
was  '  enlisting  tlie  interest  of  the  friends  of  the 
Eedeemer  in  behalf  of  the  Temperance  movement.' 

Not  a  few  of  the  early  abstainers  were  so  because 
they  were  Christians,  and  carried  on  their  advocacy  of 
the  cause  on  gospel  grounds.  '  Gospel  Temperance  ' 
may  be  a  new  name,  but  it  is  not  a  new  thing.  Some 
years  ago,  a  gentleman  remarked  to  a  friend  :  '  I  once 
heard  Mr.  Eobertson  preach  a  temperance  sermon — 
oh,  a  long  time  ago.  "  They  that  used  curious  arts 
brought  their  books  and  burned  them,"  was  the 
text.' 

Knowing  how  the  need  of  every  unsaved  sinner  in 
every  audience  he  addressed  was  ever  present  to  jNIr. 
Eobertson's  mind,  the  friend  asked,  '  You  would  get 
the  gospel  before  he  was  done  ? ' 

'  It  was  gospel  all  tlirouglil  was  the  reply. 

Alluding,  in  IS 34,  to  a  measure  proposed  then  for 
stemming  '  the  putrid  and  stormy  stream  of  pauperism 
swelled  by  the  tippling  customs  of  the  country,'  he 
adds : — 

'  It  is  not  so  much  a  work  of  self-denial  as  the  policy  of 
self-defence,  by  which  we  evade  the  fatal  necessity  of  lying 
entirely  at  the  mercy  of  events.  He — whatever  be  his  station 
— who  withholds  his  quota  of  influence  from  the  remedy, 
may  justly  consider  himself  as  accessory  to  the  ruin.  And  if 
there  is  a  man  to  be  found  who  is  perfectly  reconciled  to  let 
the  fiery  flood  roll  on,  his  moral  structure  is  such  as  I  shall 
never  envy.' 


96  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

Eeferring  to  an  application  by  a  Total  Abstinence 
Society  for  some  service,  Mr.  Eobertson  wrote  from 
Musselburgh  in  1847  : — ■ 

'  .  .  .  I  fc4t  it  necessary  to  refuse  the  request  on  account 
of  their  mode  of  managing  their  social  meetings  especially. 
The  staple  of  the  entertainment  given  at  such  meetings  con- 
sists of  songs  and  all  the  frivolities  of  the  ball-room.  I  Avas 
not  aware,  till  very  lately,  of  tlie  extent  to  which  these 
things  had  l)ecouie  identified  in  the  pubKc  mind  witli  the 
teetotal  cause.  I  have  written  remonstrances  to  them,  but  I 
know  not  yet  with  what  success.  We  have  a  society  here 
on  the  principles  of  the  "  Edinburgh  Association  for  the 
promotion  of  the  cause  through  means  of  the  Church,"  and  it 
is  with  tliis  I  am  connected.  Let  me  have  tlie  happiness 
of  hearing  from  you  soon  on  this  and  other  subjects.' 

In  the  summer  of  1845,  a  great  sorrow  overspread 
the  family  at  Greenhill.  A  younger  son,  George,  who 
had  been  ordained  the  previous  autumn  over  the 
congregation  at  Busby,  was,  after  a  short  pastorate 
of  eight  months,  suddenly  removed  by  death,  'while 
yet  the  dew  of  youth  was  upon  him,'  to  higher 
service. 

The  Eev.  Dr.  Cairns,  who  knew  him  well,  wrote 
of  him  at  the  time  :  '  Earely  has  a  larger  circle  of 
tenderly  attached  friends  been  euveloped  in  so  dark 
a  cloud  of  grief.  Few  characters  have  been  more 
simple  in  their  outline,  or  more  harmonious  in  their 
proportions,  so  thoroughly  had  his  whole  being  grown 
up  under  the  training  of  the  Spirit,  that  it  was  hard 


MINISTRY    IX    MUSSELBURGH.  97 

to  distinguish  in  liini  grace  from  nature.  Any 
one  more  ingenuous,  tender,  and  confiding,  it  is 
impossible  to  conceive.  His  domestic  and  social 
affections  were  vigorous  and  pure ;  and  selfishness, 
malignity,  and  envy  seemed  utterly  unknown 
to  him  ;  while  all  the  features  of  his  character 
were  irradiated  by  the  hallowed  light  of  Christi- 
anity, which  shone  from  within  as  from  a  lighted 
candle.' 

To  James,  whose  kindred  spirit  he  was,  the  parting 
from  such  a  brother  was  no  common  sorrow.  From 
their  earliest  years  their  lo^•e  for  each  other  was 
wonderful.  They  were  of  one  mind  and  of  one  heart 
— their  sympathies  met  and  intertwined,  and  in 
nothing  more  than  in  '  whatsoever  things  were  pure, 
and  lovely,  and  of  good  report.' 

But  sorrow  to  James  never  meant  the  folding  of 
the  hands.  Work  was  always  its  outcome,  and  its 
cure ;  and  from  this  date  a  fresh  impetus  was  given  to 
liis  spiritual  life  and  labours,  as  the  voice  came  to 
liim  with  solemnizing  power  :  '  Work  while  it  is  day — 
the  night  cometh.' 

And  the  Church  knows  how  unceasingly  during  the 
thirty-four  years  that  followed  he  did  work  until  the 
night  came. 

As  one  says,  speaking  of  his  early  ministry  :  '  His 
labours  were  of  no  ordinary  kind  ...  he  laboured 
night  and  day  far  beyond  Ids  strength,  and  often  we 
feared  he  would  fill  an  early  grave.' 

G 


98  JAMES   ROBERTSON. 

Ill  October  1845,  after  ripe  acquaintance,  Mr. 
Robertson  was  married  to  Eliza,  second  daughter  of 
Mr.  Alexander  Baird,  Marshill,  Alloa,  one  who  was  in 
full  sympathy  with  him  in  his  aims  and  work.  Under 
lier  influence  he  could  gladly  and  freely  place  any  of 
those  whose  spiritual  welfare  he  sought,  knowing  that 
her  conversation  would  tend  to  draw  them  upwards, 
and  confirm  his  own  teaching. 

The  members  of  his  flock  found  in  her  a  gentle  and 
sympathizing  friend,  in  quiet  association  with  whom 
the  light  of  Scripture  was  thrown  on  their  path,  while 
her  habit  of  quoting  choice  sayings  which  she  had 
freshly  culled  from  some  author  old  or  new,  contributed 
to  the  elevation  of  their  intercourse  and  their  mutual 
quickening. 

In  writing  to  a  friend,  whom  he  regarded  as  having, 
like  himself,  received  his  partner  from  the  Lord,  he 
adds,  '  How  exactly  suited  to  each  other  they  and 
we  are,  mind  to  mind,  and  heart  to  heart !  How 
additionally  dear  to  us  the  throne  of  grace  by  their 
fellowship  with  us  there  !  How  lightsome  is  our 
work,  when  we  can  take  sweet  counsel  with  them 
concerning  it  all ! ' 

His  dread  of  any  other  union  than  one  '  in  the 
Lord,'  for  any  young  friend  in  whom  he  was  in- 
terested, was  often  emphatically  pressed  on  such  as 
needed  or  sought  his  counsel  ;  and  he  would  further 
advise  long  and  thorough  acquaintance,  before  ventur- 
ing on  such  a  tie,  with  all  its  bearings,  nut  only  on 


MINISTRY    IN    MUSSELBURGH.  99 

their  temporal,  Ijiit  on  their  spiritual  and  eternal  well- 
being. 

In  the  following  letter  to  his  father-in-law,  Mr. 
Jiobertson  refers  to  the  aged  pastor  of  the  congregation 
in  Musselburgh,  who  had  resigned  his  position  during 
the  troubles  which  preceded  Mr.  Eobertson's  settle- 
ment there  :  — 

'  4th  February  1846. 

'  I  find  this  an  unusually  busy  week,  owing  to  arrange- 
ments that  devolve  upon  me  in  comiection  with  Mr.  Black's 
funeral ;  so  that  I  can  send  you  little  more  than  a  note  of 
remembrance  and  apology.  .  .  .  Mr.  Black  had  a  very  qiiiot 
dismission.  It  was  just  the  standing  still  of  the  weary, 
worn-out  wheels  of  life.  He  sustained,  in  connection  with 
this  congregation,  the  pastoral  office  for  more  than  half  a 
century.  He  retired  from  active  duty  about  six  years  ago, 
and  was  followed  into  his  retirement  with  much  affection 
and  esteem  from  his  flock  and  friends.  And  now,  at  the 
age  of  eighty-three,  he  has  been  gathered  to  his  rest.  My 
connection  with  him  (though  it  was  not  what  is  properly 
called  a  collegiate  union)  has  been  a  source  to  me  of  mucli 
enjoyment.  There  has  never  been  a  single  jarring  note  to 
mar  our  happy  concord.  He  ever  treated  me  with  all  tlie 
kindness  of  a  parent,  and  my  "heart  safely  trusted  in 
him."  .  .  .' 

'  Blessed  gospel  that  sustains  you,'  said  the  younger 
minister  to  the  elder,  on  his  deathbed.  '  Oh  yes,' 
responded  the  other,  '  the  very  gospel  you  have  been 


100  JAMES    ROBEETSOX. 

})reacliing  ever  since  you  came  among  us.  I'reach  on 
that  way  to  the  very  end.' 

The  following  extracts  are  taken  from  the  dis- 
course preached  by  Mr.  Eobertson  after  Mr.  Black's 
funeral : — 

'.  .  .  One  day,  while  walking  in  the  garden,  he 
appeared  cpiite  overpowered  with  emotion  ;  and,  on 
being  asked  if  he  felt  ill,  he  replied,  "  No, — but, 
'  having  loved  His  own.  He  loves  them  unto  the 
end.'"  .  .  . 

'  The  last  time  we  prayed  together,  Jesus  was  spoken 
of  as  a  "  long-tried  Friend."  He  seized  my  hand  and 
exclaimed,  "  Long-tried  Friend  indeed  !  tried  and 
trusty  ! "  and  then  he  attempted  to  utter  the  lines  : 

'  "  I'll  praise  my  Saviour  while  I've  breath. 
And,  when  my  voice  is  lost  in  death, 

Praise  shall  employ  my  noblest  powers. 
My  days  of  praise  shall  ne'er  be  past, 
While  life,  and  thought,  and  being  last, 

Or  immortality  endures. "... 

' .  .  .  "  One  there  is  above  all  others,"  whose  work 
is  finished,  and  who  is  now  the  witness  of  ours.  He 
is  present  with  us  always.  He  is  present  with  us 
here.  Christian  !  let  us  catch  His  spirit,  and  we  shall 
be  wise.  Let  us  lean  on  His  arm,  and  we  shall  be 
strong.  Let  us  identify  ourselves  more  fully  with 
His  cause,  and  we  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God. 
lUessed  Jesus,  we  are  Thine.  Thou  hast  loved  us  and 
given  Thyself  for  us.  We  would  li\'e  to  Thee,  die  to 
Thee,  and  dwell  with  Thee  for  ever ! 


MINISTRY    IN    MUSSELBURGH.  101 

'  Unconverted  sinner,  we  weep  for  tlie  dead.  lUit 
who  are  the  dead  ?  The  dead  in  Christ  ?  No.  Theij 
are  "  not  dead,  but  sleeping." 

'  We  weep  for  the  dead — the  dead  in  sin.  We 
weep  for  the  dead,  and  we  weep  for  tjoil  Had  I  the 
tongues  of  men  and  of  angels,  could  I  find  words  in 
the  languages  of  earth  or  heaven  too  strong  to  press 
upon  your  instant  acceptance  the  glorious  gospel  of 
the  blessed  God  ?  It  is  God's  own  message,  on  God's 
own  authority",  with  God's  own  evidence  about  remis- 
sion of  sins  through  the  Saviour's  atoning  blood,  and 
renewal  of  nature  by  the  Saviour's  quickening  Spirit. 

'  This  salvation  is  laid  down  at  your  door.  It 
comes  to  you  as  a  free  gift — free  as  the  cheerful  light 
and  the  vital  air.  Eeceive  it,  and  be  safe.  Eeceive 
it,  and  be  happy.  Eeceive  it,  and  put  away  from  you 
the  shudderings  of  guilt  and  the  fears  of  death.  How- 
shall  we  prevail  with  you  ?  Would  you  tell  us  the 
way  to  your  heart  ?  We  have  tried  almost  every  way. 
Is  it  yet  in  vain  ?  We  have  shifted  the  position  of 
the  pulpit  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  We  have 
placed  it  one  day  close  by  the  gate  of  heaven,  and 
another  near  the  gate  of  hell.  At  one  time,  beneatli 
Sinai,  with  its  blazing  lightnings  and  its  pealing 
thunders ;  and  at  another  time  on  Calvary,  where  we 
have  lingered  round  the  cross  and  drawn  our  argu- 
ments from  its  blood,  and  shame,  and  woe.  And  now 
to-day,  we  have  been  led  to  the  "  grave's  devouring 
mouth,"  whence  a  voice  comes  back  on  your  memory 


102  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

and  your  heart,  beseeching  you,  with  all  the  solemn 
and  moving  accompaniments  of  eternity,  to  come  and 
lie  down,  as  a  perishing  man,  on  the  truth  and  mercy 
of  Jesus. 

'  Yes,  the  "  dead  "  seem  to  "  speak,"  and  beseech 
you  to  come.  And  the  living  beseech  you  to  come. 
"  The  Spirit  and  the  bride  say,  Come."  We  are  wait- 
ing till  you  come.  Your  coming  will  change  the 
character  of  this  assembly.  Though  we  mourn  over 
the  dead,  we  will  rejoice  over  you.  And  of  that  joy 
your  departed  pastor  will  be  one  of  the  happy 
partakers.' 

What  an  interested  and  loviiig  member  had  been 
introduced  into  the  circle  from  which  he  had  chosen 
a  wife,  was  shown  both  in  his  correspondence  and 
in  all  his  subsequent  action. 

To  his  sister-in-law  he  writes  :-;— 

'  How  kind  it  has  been  in  you  to  anticipate  and  relieve 
our  anxieties,  by  writing  so  regularly  in  regard  to  our  worthy 
father  [who  was  seriously  ill].  .  .  .  We  liope  to  hear 
to-morrow  what  answer  has  come  from  Dr.  A.  .  .  .  But  it 
is  only  in  a  very  subordinate  sense  that  we  are  in  the  hands 
of  physicians  or  other  advisers.  We  are  in  Divine  Hands, 
the  Hands  that  were  pierced  for  us,  the  Hands  from  which 
no  foreign  power  can  pluck  us.  Yea,  we  are  persuaded 
that  even  "Death  shall  not  be  able." 

'  We  are  delighted  to  know  that  his  spirits  are  so  stayed 
and  cheerful,  and  trust  that  he  will  continue  to  be  buoyed 


MINISTRY    IX    MUSSELBURGH.  103 

up,  and  carried  through,  on  the  "  Eveidasting  Arms."  .  .  . 
Health  is  a  precious  blessing,  but  the  pearl  of  greatest 
price  is  Holiness. 

'  I  have  just  now  been  interrupted  again  fur  an  hour  .  .  . 
but  it  is  one  of  those  interruptions  of  which  I  wish  we  had 
many  thousands  more — a  person  under  deep  spiritual  concern, 
eagerly  asking  the  safe  way  into  eternitj'. 

'  I  often  think  (and  especially  of  late,  when  so  many  of 
them  have  been  going  hence)  that  we  would  do  Avell  to  make 
use  of  our  good  old  friends,  as  Ave  do  of  our  borroAved  books. 
If  Ave  have  a  book  of  our  OAvn,  we  think  Ave  can  read  it  at 
any  time ;  but  Avhen  Ave  borroAV  a  book,  and  knoAv  Ave  must 
return  it  soon,  Ave  make  the  most  of  it  (at  least  ought  to 
make  the  most  of  it)  Avhile  Ave  have  it.  So,  surelj',  should 
Ave  be  concerned  to  make  use  of  pious  friends,  and  to  gain 
advantages  from  them,  ere  they  leave  us  for  better  society 
and  purer  joys.  Oh  that  He  Avhose  providence  has  so 
SAveetly  united  us  as  one  family  here,  may  bring  every 
one  belonging  to  our  circle  to  His  OAvn  happy  Home 
hereafter.  .  .  .' 

To  his  father-iu-law  : — 

'  .  .  .  I  have  been  uj)  during  part  of  last  night  Avith  the 
senior  member  of  my  session — a  A'aluable  old  Christian  of 
eighty-seven,  Avho  seems  fast  sinking  under  the  accunudated 
Aveight  of  infirmities  and  years.  .  .  .  Perhaps  you  may 
remember  hoAV  much  I  Avished  that  you  and  he  had  met, 
Avhen  you  first  visited  us ;  but  he  Avas  unable  to  come. 

'  He  AA'as  long  a  prosperous  merchant  .  .  .  has  had  many 
"sore  adversities"  during  his  long  pilgrinaage,  but  he  has 
extracted  the  SAveet  from  the  bitter,  and  ahvays  speaks  of  his 


104  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

trials  cOS  his  "  best  mercies."  His  experience  now  is  a  most 
impressive  illustration  of  the  divine  power  of  the  gospel  to 
impart  tranquillity  and  hope  in  a  dying  hour.  There  is  per- 
fect naturalness  in  his  composure — nothing  ostentatious, 
nothing  enthusiastic.  All  is  unfeigned  simplicity.  He  said 
to  me  on  Sabbath,  "  God  is  my  Eock.  He  hath  made  with 
me  an  everlasting  covenant,  and  Pie  cannot  lie.  He  is 
faithful  and  true."  Every  word  indeed,  and  every  look, 
bespeaks  his  fullest  confidence  of  being  "accepted  in  the 
Beloved,"  and  that  for  him  death  has  no  sting. 

'  .  .  .  How  delightful  to  feel  that  the  stroke,  which  sevci's 
every  other  tie,  cannot  touch  the  tie  that  connects  a  soul 
Avith  Christ !  Whatever  is  meant  by  being  in  Christ  is  the 
same  after  death  as  before  it.  And,  among  those  that  are 
friends  in  Christ,  there  is  a  bond  of  union  which  eternity 
itself  shall  never  wear  to  weakness. 

'  Let  us  be  satisfied  with  nothing  short  of  Christ's  having 
His  proper  place,  on  the  very  throne  of  the  hearts  of  those  we 
love,  and  of  our  own.  Tlien  shall  we  have  true  comfort  in 
their  death,  and  they  in  ours  ;  and  we  shall  be  bound  up  in 
the  same  bundle  when  the  angel  reapers  shall  gather  in  the 
harvest. 

My  beloved  B.  is  an  invaluable  helper  in  my  work  of 
visiting  the  sick  and  dying ;  and  the  more  we  try  to  labour 
for  Christ,  the  happier  we  are.  .  .   .' 

From  the  A^ale  of  Clyde,  to  the  same  :  — 

'  .  .  .  I  feel  disposed  to  address  the  excellent  friend  I  am 
assisting  in  the  words  of  the  spouse,  in  Solomon's  Song  : 
"  O  thou  that  dwellest  in  the  gardens  " — for  the  whole  strath, 
for  many  miles,  is  one  continued  orchard,  and,  amid  the  rich 


MINISTRY    IX    MUSSELBURGH.  105 

blossoming  of  tlie  season,  it  pr(?se)its  one  Llazc  of  beauty. 
Oh  the  wondrous  presence  of  Goil  in  all  things  !  ...  In 
])i'oportion  as  His  influences  are  withheld  all  things  lan- 
guish ;  in  proportion  as  they  are  again  poured  forth,  all 
things  are  revived,  and  germinate,  and  blossom  into  blessed- 
ness. 

'  We  have  just  been  praying  that  -so  "  the  earth  may  yield  " 
unto  us  her  spiritual  "  increase  " — that  so  the  Lord  may  (on 
this  occasion)  "  cause  righteousness  and  praise  to  spring  forth  " 
— 'that  "  our  Beloved  may  come  into  His  garden,  and  cat  His 
pleasant  fruits." ' 

To  a  ministerial  brother  jNIr.  Eobertson  wrote : — 

'To-day  I  am  like  L.,  "tired  and  weary,"  and  glad  to 
keep  at  home.  By  this  time  I  hope  you  are  safely  landed 
too  among  the  endearments  of  your  own  fireside.  Many 
little  faces  will  have  met  you  at  the  door  with  all  their 
news.  We  often  speak  of  yours  as  "  the  happy  family." 
"AVe  thank  our  God  on  every  remembrance  of  you,  always 
in   every  prayer  of  ours  for  you  all,  making  request   witli 

joy."  .  ^  . 

'  One  of  your  remarks  in  your  speech  yesterday  has  led 
me  to  a  text  to-day.     The  remark  was  about  the  occasion 

given  by  such  exhibitions  as  poor 's  for  scornful  sarcasm, 

and  for  the  direct  and  serious  impeachment  of  Christianity  ; 
and  the  text  is  that  in  2  Peter,  which  speaks  of  "The 
pernicious  ways  of  those,  by  reason  of  whom  the  truth  is 
evil  spoken  of."  If  you  are  at  any  loss  to  fix  on  a  topic, 
may  we  try  this  together  1  Under  the  ennui  of  this  week 
I  need  all  the  stimulus  of  sympathy,  and  may  not  the  theme 
be  a  "  word  in  season "  1     The  case  is  exciting  many  such 


lOG  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

infidel  sneers  as  jou  referred  to.  AVould  it  not  bo  interest- 
ing to  show  what  compliments  to  the  truth,  and  to  its  usual 
effects,  these  all  imply  ? 

'  But  perhaps  I  may  he  wrong  in  adventuring  on  such 
delicate  ground,  and  may  see  it  Ijest  to  abandon  it,  lest  the 
intention  be  misunderstood.' 

It  hurt  him  to  the  core,  and  was  as  if  his  dearest 
friend  had  been  maliciously  maligned,  when  anything 
was  said  or  done  inconsistent  with  the  spirit  of 
Christianity,  or  tending  to  misrepresent  it  to  the 
world. 

His  adopted  circle  of  friendship  had  good  occasion, 
in  the  spring  and  summer  of  1847,  to  prove  and  know 
the  truth  of  his  '  brotherhood  in  adversity.'  A  suc- 
cession of  trying  Ijcreavements  drew  out  his  sympathy 
and  love  '  not  in  word  only,  l)ut  in  deed,'  and 
strengthened  ties  that  had  already  Ijecome  strong. 

Writing  to  Mr.  M'Dowall,  he  says : — 

'  My  beloved  Brother, — ]\Iy  heart  would  have  impelled  mo 
to  begin  to  write  the  instant  I  received  yoiu's,  had  I  not 
been  under  the  necessity  of  going  out  on  duty  and  into  the 
country.  Xow,  when  I  am  back  to  my  desk,  I  could  pour 
out  to  you  two  hearts  full  of  sympathizing  affection.  You 
have  a  "fight  of  afflictions,"  but  you  "shall  not  be  greatly 
moved."  He  who  "  took  Israel  from  the  furnace "  will 
keep  you,  and  be  your  "  Saviour  in  the  time  of  trouble." 
It  is  Avhen  we  feel  the  "land"  very  "weary,"  that  broadest, 
tleepest,  coolest  becomes  "the  shadow  of  the  Great  Rock." 


MINISTEY    IN    MUSSELBURGH.  107 

It  is  sadl}'  disappointing  to  us  to  miss  Avhat  we  had  so 
fondly  counted  on — your  beloved  M.'s  presence  with  ns  at 
the  time  we  spoke  of.  But  the  claims  of  her  health  are 
paramount,  and  everything  must  yield  to  the  means  that 
seem  necessary  to  its  renovation.  ...  I  have  often  been 
in  the  hands  of  Dr.  J.,  and  have  great  confidence  in  his 
skill,  of  which  I  am  in  some  sense  the  monument,  under 
the  guidance  and  blessing  of  the  Infallible  Physician.  "We 
shall  not  cease  to  plead  that  efficacy  may  be  put  into  t\w 
means  used  for  our  dear  sister's  recovery  to  sweet  established 
strength.' 

Of  a  mutual  friend,  he  adds : — 

'  Her  mourning  and  conflicting  experiences  have  given 
place  to  a  peace  that  seems  to  flow  through  her  heart  like  a 
river.  She  appears  to  have  been  led  by  the  Spirit  into  much 
of  the  largeness  of  the  love  of  God.  She  used  to  "  weary 
herself  in  the  greatness  of  her  way,"  trying  to  make  herself 
such  a  creature  as  God  could  love.  2^ow  her  soul  has  found 
its  centre  of  rest,  disburdening  conscience  of  its  load  in  the 
presence  of  tire  cross,  and  leaning  her  head  on  that  bosom 
out  of  which  the  Son  came  as  the  Father's  gift  to  man. 
How  this  "  rainbows  the  darkest  cloud  of  sorrow."  .  .  . 

'  I  am  in  the  jjress  in  more  senses  than  one,  correcting 
proofs  and  preparing  for  Sabbath — far,  far  behind.  Will 
this  be  any  comfort  to  you  in  your  work  to-morrow  to  know 
that  you  have  in  all  respects  possible  the  intense  fellow- 
feeling  of  your  very  loving  brother,  J.  R.' 

Again — '  We  will  write  as  often  as  posts  will  let  us,  and 
we  are  always  getting  at  each  other  through  God.' 


108  JAMES   EOBERTSOX. 

Again — '  I  have  been  defrauded  by  a  visitor  tins  afternoon 
of  the  time  I  meant  to  devote  to  you,  but  have  left  him 
for  a  little.  ...  I  will  be  more  comforted  by  sending  you 
ii  line  or  two  than  I  could  by  being  silent  till  another  post. 
You  do  need  "strong  consolation."  And  you  have  it.  The 
Heavenly  Refiner  is  evidently  watching  with  tenderness 
and  faithfulness  the  process  through  which  the  precious 
metal  is  passing.  He  is  making  her  more  and  more  a  choice 
one  in  the  furnace  of  affliction.  We  weep  Avitli  you.  and 
rejoice  with  you  by  turns.  Never  does  heaven  appear  so 
bright  as  when  contrasted  with  those  sorrows  of  earth. 
How  very  cheering  the  anticipation  of  it !  Our  ship  is  safe. 
The  Pilot  is  on  board.  "VVe  are  sure  of  reaching  the  quiet, 
happy  haven.  Oh,  the  wondrous  beauty,  the  glorious 
sufficiency,  the  matchless  suitableness  of  Jesus  to  our  need ! 
"  In  the  day  when  I  cried  Thou  answeredst  me,  and 
strengthenedst  me  with  strength  in  my  soul."  .  .   . 

'  Every  gleam  of  sunshine,  and  every  genial  breath  of 
summer,  has  a  new  charm  to  us  just  now,  for  we  say  to  each 
other,  many  times  a  day,  "This  will  bring  back  health  to 
our  beloved  M."  Our  hearts  are  never  away  from  you. 
(lod  will  be  with  you  always,  "  the  Comforter."  Peace  be 
with  you  in  Christ  Jesus.   .  .  .' 

To  the  sufierer  herself  he  wrote :  —  '  Dearly  beloved 
Sister,  —  Be  of  good  cheer.  The  eternal  God  is  thy 
refuge,  and  underneath  are  the  Everlasting  Arms.  We 
Avant  to  join  Avith  you  in  singing  "  songs  in  the  night." 
And  is  not  this  the  chorus  of  them  all,  "  God  is  love "  1 
I  think  it  was  you  that  first  told  me  the  story  of  the 
little  girl  who  said,  "That  is  my  text,  'God  is  love.'"  .  .  . 
We  do  not  wonder  that   "  the  joy  of   the   Lord   is  your 


MINISTRY    IN    MUSSELBURGH.  109 

strength,"  when  you  are  looking  to  si;ch  joy-gi\ing  objects, 
and  believing  siich  joy-giving  news.  They  produce  joy  of 
heart  as  necessarily  as  the  finding  of  a  treasure  or  the  gain- 
ing of  a  victory,  and  your  joy  no  man  taketh  from  you. 
Drinking  in  our  Heavenly  Father's  love,  as  reflected  from 
the  face  of  our  Elder  Brother,  we  are  changed  into  the  same 
image,  from  one  glorious  and  glorifying  degree  of  love  to 
another.  "  Keeping  ourselves  in  the  love  of  God,"  we  shall 
always  have  our  own  desire,  inasmuch  as  we  shall  always 
have  His  will,  Mdiich  is  ours.  Submitting  our  will  to  His 
is  only  preferring  a  greater  good  to  a  less,  as  Jesus  did  in 
the  garden.   ... 

'  We  wish  we  could  bear  your  burdens  for  you,  but  the 
impossibility  of  this  makes  us  rejoice  the  more  that  He,  who 
faiuteth  not  as  we  would  do,  will,  and  does,  carry  both  you 
and  them.  He  has  fully  overcome,  and  l)y  the  victory  of 
the  Head,  the  living  members  must  all  be  conquerors  too. 
.  .   .  You  live  in  our  hearts  all  the  day  long.   .  .   .' 

'  By  your  languishing  and  pains  you  are  brought  into 
closest  communion  and  co-heirship  with  Him  who  "  endured 
the  cross."  His  human  exaltation  is  ascribed  to  that  endur- 
ance as  its  cause.  (Phil.  ii.  ;  Heb.  ii.  9,  10,  11.)  Surely 
then,  by  the  various  forms  of  bodily  suffering,  as  well  as 
by  any  mode  of  faithfulness  in  active  duties,  we  may  be 
"conformed  to  the  image  of  God's  dear  Son."  "When  Ave 
look  at  a  believer's  afflictions  in  this  light,  when  we  think 
of  their  'perfedivg  tendency,  their  close  resemblance  in 
character  and  purpose  to  the  trials  wliich  the  Saviour  bore, 
it  serves  at  least  to  abate  our  Avonder,  and  disposes  the 
mind  to  Avaiting  adoration.  "  "Wait  on  the  Lord,  be  of  good 
courage,  and  He  shall  strengthen  thine  heart." 


110  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

'  Dr.  Pay.son  found  it  so,  when  he  said  in  the  midst  of 
racking  pain,  "  What  a  blessed  thing  it  is  to  lose  one's  will ! 
Since  I  have  lost  my  will  I  have  found  happiness.  There 
can  be  no  such  thing  as  disappointment  to  me,  for  I  have 
no  desires  but  that  God's  will  be  done." 

'  I  can  never  read  the  life  of  Payson  without  recollecting 
the  sentiment  of  the  holy  Leighton,  that  "  God  has  many 
sharp-cutting  instruments  and  rough  files  for  the  polishing  of 
His  jewels,  and  those  He  especially  esteems,  and  means 
to  make  the  most  resplendent,  He  has  oftenest  His  tools 
upon."  .  .  . 

'  We  alternately  speak  of  and  pray  for  you,  dear  brother 
and  sister.'  .   .   . 

Again — 'Do  not  these  lines  express  your  experience  : — 

"'0  Lord  my  God,  do  Thou  Thy  holy  will— 

I  will  lie  still ; 
1  will  not  stir,  lest  I  forsake  Thine  arm, 

And  break  the  charm, 
Which  lulls  me,  clinging  to  my  Father's  breast, 

In  perfect  rest." 

'  I  thought  much  of  you  yesterday,  while  preaching  on 
"  tlte  rigid  tcay.'"  Your  Leader,  dear  sister,  has  not  mis- 
taken the  Avay  that  you  take.  What  here  we  call  days  of 
darkness  will  appear,  by  and  bye,  to  have  been  among  the 
brightest  and  fairest.  All  that  seems  good  in  God's  sight 
must  be  really  good,  for  He  cannot  be  deceived.  His 
chastising  love  is  the  deepest  love  of  all.  Have  you  not 
now  found  resources  of  strength  and  grace  in  Him  which 
you  never  knew  before  ?  .  .  .' 

'■  The  end  He  promises  is  holy  good.     The  means  of  its 


MINISTRY    IN    MUSSELBURGH.  Ill 

production  He  Himself  decides.  It  may  he  tliat  the  trials 
we  are  under  are  a  fulfilment  of  the  prayers  we  have  often 
offered  together.  Are  we  crucified  to  the  world  1  Are  we 
weaned  from  the  creature  ?  Were  not  these  our  petitions  ? 
But  we  anticipated  not  the  mode. 

'  It  needs  more  prayers  now  for  grace  to  fix  us  in  this 
resolve,  when  we  perceive  the  way  in  which  it  is  to  be 
accomplished. 

'  Let  us  desire  holiness  more  than  we  fear  the  discipline 
necessary  for  its  attainment.  Let  us  leave  to  Him,  who 
"  sits  as  a  Refiner,"  the  degree  to  which  the  furnace  should 
be  heated,  in  order  to  purify  and  brighten  us,  that  Ave  may 
reflect  the  glories  of  His  image.' 

These  are  a  few  extracts  from  many  letters  written 
at  this  time  to  the  sorrowing  circle.  Besides  every 
kind  service  he  could  think  of,  rendered  otherwise,  not 
a  few  cheering  visits  were  paid  to  his  dying  friend — 
visits  that  brought  a  wondering  feeling  of  sunshine, 
even  to  the  childhood  of  the  house,  in  the  sick-room, 
as  well  as  cheer  to  the  mother,  who,  under  his  tender 
and  appropriate  ministrations,  was  made  to  '  drink ' 
largely  '  of  the  river  of  God's  pleasures.' 

Writing  after  the  departure  of  this  friend  (closely 
followed  by  that  of  two  others  in  near  relationship), 
Mr.  Eobertson  says,  in  near  prospect  of  preaching 
there  :  '  The  partition  between  the  pulpit  and  eternity 
looks  thinner  here  than  ordinarv.' 


C  H  A  r  T  E  li    Y  1 1 1. 

^tiinburrjl; — Suncan  Street. 
1847-1862. 

The  Mussc4burgli  ministry  was  now  drawing  towards 
its  close.  In  1847,  a  Baptist  chapel,  in  Duncan 
Street,  Newington,  Edinburgh,  was  advertised  for  sale, 
and  as  tlie  field  around  seemed  a  desirable  one  in 
which  to  carry  on  Christian  work,  three  United 
I'resbyterians,  after  anxious  consultation  with  mem- 
bers of  the  Edinburgh  Presbytery  and  others,  resolved 
to  secure  the  building  for  a  new  cause,  in  connection 
with  their  denomination. 

These  three  had  the  warm  sympathy  of  the  Eevs. 
Dr.  John  Brown  of  Broughton  Place,  Dr.  Piobertson 
of  Portsburgh,  and  others  ;  and  it  is  specially  worthy 
of  mention  that  Dr.  Eobertson,  with  characteristic 
Christian  spirit,  suggested  to  those  of  his  tlock  who 
lived  in  Newington  to  cast  in  their  lot  with  them,  and 
thus  help  on  the  cause  of  peaceful  church  extension. 
Some  of  his  most  ^■alued  and  useful  members  took  his 
advice. 

When  the  proprietors  of  the  Baptist  chapel  knew 


EDINBURGH — DUNCAN    STREET.  113 

of  the  proposal,  they  generously  handed  over  the 
building  to  their  brethren,  at  £300  less  than  the 
price  originally  sought,  on  the  understanding  that  their 
successors  would  take  up  the  schools  and  the  mission 
district  of  Causewayside,  in  which  they  had  laboured 
for  many  years,  '  There  was  ample  field  of  usefulness 
for  an  enterprising  missionary  church.' 

A  small  nucleus  gathered  in  this  chapel  (seated  for 
624)  as  a  preaching-station,  on  9th  January  1848, 
and  was  afterwards  constituted  into  a  congregation, 
by  the  Presbytery  of  Edinburgh,  in  February.  The 
members  of  Presbytery  conducted  the  Sabbath  ser- 
vices in  turn.  Of  these,  Mr.  Ptobertson  was  one, 
and,  after  hearing  him,  the  congregation  addressed  a 
hearty  and  unanimous  call  to  him,  in  June  1848,  to 
become  their  pastor. 

They  '  had  nothing  to  offer  Mr.  Eobertson,'  they 
said,  '  in  addition  to  abundance  of  hard  and  harassing 
labour,  but  hearty  co-operation  in  prosecuting  the  great 
work  which  they  knew  he  had  at  heart.'  They  '  re- 
frained from  holding  out  to  him  any  inducement  that 
savoured  of  the  nature  of  a  pecuniary  bribe,'  know- 
ing by  how  much  higher  motives  he  was  actuated, 
and  '  fearing  that  any  such  would  just  have  gone  to 
ruin  their  fondest  expectations.' 

It  was  urged  by  the  Musselburgh  people,  that,  out 
of  the  mere  remnant  of  a  congregation,  the  founda- 
tion of  a  truly  prosperous  church  had  been  laid ;  but 
that  there  was  every  risk  of  the  progress  of  this  spiritual 

II 


114  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

building  being  arrested,  and  of  ruin  and  decay  super- 
vening, if  the  builder  was  withdrawn. 

Through  the  labours  of  the  last  seven  years,  it  had 
risen  in  strength  and  usefulness  to  '  a  model  of  a  good 
working  congregation.'  Under  the  influence  of  the 
gospel,  set  forth  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  fresh  and 
full  of  fragrance,  and  falling  like  dew  from  lieaven  on 
believing  souls,  'there  had  arisen  a  well-cared- for 
Sabbath  school,'  with  teachers  of  high-toned  piety,  who 
now  made  a  special  appeal  to  him.  There  were  also 
advanced  classes  of  young  men  and  women,  gathered 
not  only  from  the  congregation  but  beyond  its  pale, 
and  anxiously  thirsting  for  religious  instruction ; 
weekly  prayer-meetings  ;  a  maternal  society ;  church 
meetings  from  time  to  time,  at  which  the  members 
acknowledged  one  another  as  professing  brethren  and 
sisters  in  the  Lord,  and  sought  each  other's  welfare ; 
a  missionary  society,  with  its  collectors  ;  a  Christian 
instruction  society,  with  its  agents  labouring  in  the 
villages  around,  and  scattering  the  words  of  eternal 
life. 

The  pressure  put  upon  him  to  remain  was  indeed 
very  strong ;  and  he  was  so  much  perplexed  as  to  his 
duty  in  the  matter,  tliat  in  the  end  he  left  the  decision 
in  the  hands  of  his  brethren. 

To  the  Presbytery  he  said : — 

'  With  the  Commissioners  from  both  places  I  most 
thoroughly  accord  in  the  principle,  that  we,  who  are 
ministers  of  Christ,  are  at  liberty  to  say  to  our  people,  "  \Ye 


EDINBURGH — DUNCAN    STREET.  115 

are  not  yours,  neither  are  we  our  own ; "  nay,  that  we  are 
bound  to  consider  well  how  and  where  we  may  best  promote 
His  interest  who  died  for  ours,  ... 

'  The  fear  of  doing  wrong  is  sometimes  an  impediment  in 
the  way  of  doing  right.  The  mind  becomes  fevered  witli 
anxiety.  It  is  then  that  one,  judging  in  his  own  cause,  is 
in  danger  of  laying  too  much  stress  on  what  are  called  the 
"  openings,"  or  "  leadings,"  which  Providence  is  supposed  to 
exhibit  by  outward  signs  and  peculiar  events.  .  .  .  The 
very  same  things  vary  in  their  hue  and  complexion  according 
to  the  bias  with  which  they  are  regarded.  .  .  . 

'  As  regards  the  viajus\  honum  ecdeske,  I  must  allude  to 
one  or  two  things  on  which  I  would  far  rather  restrain  my- 
self, and  seal  them  up  in  silence,  were  it  not  that  they 
furnish  important  elements  of  judgment. 

'  The  Presbytery  have  already  been  reminded  of  (it  would 
not  be  easy  for  some  of  them  soon  to  forget)  the  hapless 
singularity  of  their  own  crippled  and  bleeding  cause  in 
Musselburgh,  at  the  time  when  you  sent  me  there,  as  your 
willing  servant  for  Jesus'  sake.  The  little  remnant  of  people 
had  a  great  fight  of  afflictions.  .  .  .  But  God  be  praised 
that  their  night  of  weeping  was  followed  by  the  morning 
joy.  .  .  .  The  hand  of  the  Lord  hath  done  it.   ,  .  . 

'  It  was  the  hope  of  seeing  this,  which  cheered  whatever 
of  sore  trial,  and  hazard  to  life  itself,  the  experiment 
imposed.  The  call  that  places  me  here  to-day  seems,  in 
many  respects,  a  call  to  go  through  the  same  trying  experi- 
ment again.  Xot  that  there  is  at  Newington  any  broken  and 
desolated  wall  to  be  built  in  troublous  times,  with  a  trowel 
in  the  one  hand  and  a  sword  in  the  other.  But  certain  it 
is,  tliat  the  present  nucleus  of  membership  at  Kewington 


116  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

is  very  much  the  same  as  I  found  at  Musselburgh,  so  that, 
it  is  just  after  beginning  to  enjoy  the  recompense  "where- 
with the  Christian  mower  filleth  his  hand,  and  he  that 
bindeth  sheaves  his  bosom,"  that  I  am  invited  to  tread  anew 
what  may  seem  the  empty  furrow.  .  .  . 

'  On  all  such  peaceful  Church  extension,  prosecuted  under 
auspices  so  animating,  may  the  broadest  benedictions  of 
the  Church's  Head  descend !  Its  failure  would  be  very 
calamitous ;  its  prosperity  will  be  very  joyous.  .  .  .  When 
I  remember  that  a  minister's  anxiety  ought  to  be  to  exert 
himself  where  exertion  is  most  needed,  without  allowing 
his  own  little  convenience  more  than  a  feather's  weight  in 
the  balance  —  you  need  not  wonder  that  I  should  have 
some  doubts  whether  the  problematic,  and  remoter  good,  of 
going  to  Newington,  may  not  find  a  counterpoise  in  the 
more  immediate  evils  connected  with  a  vacancy  in  Bridge 
Street.   .   .   . 

'  May  I  beg  your  indulgence  while  I  allude  to  the  other 
difficulty,  which  is  of  a  personal  character.  It  respects 
health,  which  to  a  minister  is  almost  equivalent  to  life, 
.  .  .  and  which  may  not  Avarrant  any  confident  expectation 
of  its  being  quite  a  match  for  such  another  lengthened 
course  of  extra  toil  and  care.   .   .   . 

'  Divesting  myself,  as  far  as  I  can,  of  all  reserve  or  bias, 
I  put  the  case  into  your  hands,  earnestly  requesting  you  to 
strike  the  balance,  and  to  dispose  of  me,  and  of  any  service 
I  can  render,  to  what  seems  to  you  the  best  advantage,  in 
the  best  of  causes.  1  am  afraid  of  being  wedded  to  any 
methods  or  means  of  my  own.  I  am  afraid  of  having  my 
judgment  unduly  swayed  by  feeling.  ...  I  have  only  this 
"  Urim  "  to  consult,  and  whatever  the  answer  be,  I  think  I 


EDINBURGH — DUNCAN    STREET.  117 

shall  have  httle  need  to  doubt  that  "  the  whole  disposing 
thereof  is  of  the  Lord."  Is  not  "the  sound  of  your 
Master's  feet  behind  you "  ?  and  the  responding  voice, 
"  Behold  I  will  lead  the  blind  by  a  way  that  they  know 
not."     "  This  is  the  way,  walk  ye  in  it."  .    .   .' 

The  members  of  Presbytery  deferred  their  decision 
till  a  later  meeting,  at  which  they  gave  their  judgment 
in  favour  of  the  new  charge.  The  induction  took  place 
on  Wednesday,  11th  October  1848. 

The  prospect  of  the  change,  with  the  severing  of 
the  old  ties,  and  doubts  as  to  his  having  strength  for 
the  duties  before  him,  brought  much  anxiety, 

'21st  November. 

'  When  I  tell  you  that  1  am  so  overburdened  with 
work  as  to  have  little  more  than  four  hours'  sleep  at  night, 
and  scarcely  time  for  meals  during  the  day,  you  will  not 
think  it  strange  that  I  was  so  long  in  writing.  This  is  the 
heaviest  labour  1  ever  had  in  hand,  but  we  are  not  without 
cheering  encouragement.  .  ,  . 

'  I  send  you  a  specimen  of  the  children's  recollections  of 
your  sermon  on  Solomon.  They  are  first  attempts ;  for 
everything  has  to  be  begun  here.  Already  we  have  a 
Sabbath  school  of  more  than  100  children,  with  15  teachers 
and  superintendent ;  an  advanced  female  class  also  of 
32,  and  a  young  men's  class  in  process  of  being  formed 
this  week.  "  The  number  of  the  names  "  (in  church  mem- 
bership) is  about  120.  To  the  42  with  whom  we  started, 
68  were  added  at  last  communion,  and  some  have  been 
gathered  since  that  time. 


118  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

'  A  Christian  Instruction  Scheme,  to  be  wrought  by  the 
ladies,  on  a  somewhat  new  principle,  has  likewise  been 
arranged.  The  church  attendance  has  been  steady  in  the 
forenoons,  and  increasing  in  the  afternoons — nearly  filling 
the  house.  But  my  strength  is  very  inadequate  to  the 
incessant  demands  made  on  it,  and  I  have  often  reason  to 
fear  it  Avill  sink  under  them  entirely.  In  what  work,  how- 
ever, can  we  be  more  blissfully  "  silent "  ? ' 

'  20th  December  1848. 

' .  .  .  Dear  A.'s  letter  gave  us  much  delight,  with  all  its 
news  and  its  merry  notes.  ...  I  am  surroimded  with  mercy, 
and  not  a  day  passes  over  me  but  I  say,  "  Who  should  be 
thankful  if  I  am  not  ? "  0  my  brother,  help  me  to  put  on, 
and  to  wear  that  seemly  attire,  "  the  garment  of  praise." 

'  My  work  continues  very  heavy,  but  I  have  more  strength 
for  it  than  I  had  at  first,  and  the  Lord  manifestly  smiles 
on  it. 

'  Since  the  cause  became  self-supporting,  we  have  entered 
on  missionary  work,  and  are  this  week  on  the  point  of 
engaging  a  home  mission  agent.  About  £30  per  annum 
is  already  guaranteed,  by  a  few  members,  for  this  primary 
object.  There  have  gathered  around  us  some  of  the  most 
active  and  devoted  Christians  with  whom  I  have  ever 
met.  ...  I  have  few  minutes  all  day  that  I  can  call  my 
own.   .   .  .' 

'27th  Jan.  1849. 

'  We  may  smell  the  flowers  of  earth  as  we  pass,  but  let 
us  not  tarry.     "  Behold  the  Bridegroom  cometh."  .  .  .' 

It  took  no  little  courage,  with  an  infant  cause  just 


EDINBURGH — DUNCAN    STREET.  119 

formed  there,  to  set  all  the  desirable  machinery  of  a 
working  church  in  lively  motion.  But  this  was  to  be 
no  hive  of  drones. 

The  ordinary  schemes  immediately  started,  included 
a  vigorous  Sabbath  school  (out  of  which,  owing  to 
ignorance  discovered  there,  grew  week-evening  classes, 
and  soon  a  week  -  day  school),  the  minister's  ad- 
vanced classes  for  young  men  ^  and  women  (held  at 
separate  times),  a  maternal  meeting,  a  weekly  prayer- 
meeting,  adult  and  juvenile  missionary  associations. 
There  was  also  a  special  church  meeting,  on  the  first 
Sabbath  of  each  month,  for  members  alone,  to  bind 
them  more  closely  in  the  bonds  of  Christian  affection, 
and  to  give  opportunity  for  the  unreserved  expression 
of  thought  and  feeling  on  topics  bearing  on  Christian 
life  and  work.  At  this  meeting  the  new  members 
were  introduced,  previous  to  each  communion.  A  fresh 
element  was  early  brought  into  it,  by  the  gathering 
there  '  of  the  baptized  children  of  the  church,  that 
they  might  be  reminded  of  the  meaning  of  their 
baptism,  of  the  nature  of  the  obligations  they  were 
expected  personally  to  renew,  and  that  they  might  be 
commended  to  God  in  solemn  prayer.' 

In  the  quarterly  sermons  preached  to  the  children 
their  wants  were  still  further  remembered. 

'  The  young  men's  class  came,  during  its  second  or  third  year, 
under  the  care  of  Mr.  Benjamin  H.  Blyth,  and  afterwards  under 
that  of  Mr.  James  Young,  till  his  death,  both  elders,  and  highly- 
prized  co-workers  with  their  pastor,  strengthening  his  hands  in  every 
■way  possible  to  them. 


120  JAMES   ROBERTSON. 

By  the  14th  of  January  1849  (about  three  months 
after  Mr.  Eobertson's  induction),  the  home  missionary 
referred  to,  who  was  selected  from  among  the  members 
themselves,  had  begun  his  labours  in  the  Causewayside. 
To  further  his  work,  the  mission  district  was  divided 
into  eighteen  sections  (allowing  twelve  or  fifteen 
families  to  a  section),  and  visited  by  both  ladies  and 
gentlemen  of  the  congregation,  as  '  Christian  instruction 
agents.' 

Thus  a  large  number  of  the  members  was  brought 
into  direct  contact  with  the  people  of  the  district,  the 
children  there  were  cared  for,  and  wholesome  literature 
of  various  kinds  was  distributed. 

Of  this  work  in  its  early  days,  Mr.  Eobertson 
says : — 

'They  will  find  it  have  a  powerful  influence  on  their 
personal  sanctification.  Their  own  knowledge  of  the  gospel 
will  be  corrected  and  enlarged  by  repeated  demands  for  its 
exercise,  and  their  own  impressions  of  its  preciousness  will 
become  sensibly  deepened  by  every  attempt  to  convey  it  to 
the  hearts  of  others. 

'  "Where  twenty-four  church  members  consecrate  to  such 
exertion  a  single  hour  in  the  week,  it  is  well-nigh  equal  to 
the  addition  of  a  new  agent  to  the  ranks  of  our  valuable 
home  missionaries.  .  .  ,  We  regard  this  scheme  as  only  the 
revival  of  the  great  Christian  principle,  that  all  who  know 
Christ  should  make  Him  known.  It  is  only  leading  us  back 
to  the  apostolic  plan  of  "  teaching  from  house  to  house."  It 
is  as  old  as  Christianity.  It  is  a  part  of  Christianity,  It 
is  Christ's  own  ordinance,  as  truly  as  the  preaching  of  the 


EDINBURGH — DUNCAN    STREET.  121 

gospel  in  the  sanctuary.  Never  will  the  labours  of  the  most 
devoted  city  missionaries  prove  sufficient,  by  themselves,  to 
bear  in  successfully  or  permanently  on  the  fermenting  mass 
of  depravity  around  us.  The  divinely  -  appointed  instru- 
mentality, by  which  it  is  to  be  penetrated  with  the  healing 
influence  of  the  gospel,  is  the  combined  agency  of  all  the 
members  of  Christ's  Church,  acting  harmoniously,  and  acting 
on  system.  How  rich  is  the  Church  in  undeveloped  power  ! 
Were  that  power  only  brought  out  from  the  napkins  in  whicli 
it  is  shrouded,  and  from  under  the  bushels  where  it  is  hid, 
and  placed  in  Christ's  hand,  and  at  Christ's  disposal,  how 
soon  might  all  our  streets,  and  alleys,  and  obscurest  recesses 
be  pervaded  with  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  God's  glory  ! 
how  soon  might  "  the  city  be  flourishing,"  and  filled  with 
"  the  beauties  of  holiness"  ! ' 

Within  four  years  the  Christian  instruction  visitors 
extended  their  labours  to  several  outlying  hamlets,  in 
which,  ultimately,  a  second  missionary,  with  all  the 
usual  organizations  of  a  mission,  was  established. 

Experience  of  the  wants  of  the  mission  district  at 
an  early  stage,  and  of  the 'great  barrier  to  the  prose- 
cution of  the  work  there  in  the  drinking  habits  of  the 
people,  resulted  in  the  formation  of  a  Total  Abstinence 
Society,  whicli  was  joined  at  once  by  a  goodly  number 
of  those  for  whom  it  was  intended ;  and  efforts  were 
also  made  to  interest  the  young  in  the  same,  by 
weekly  meetings  in  the  school-room.  This  continued, 
throughout,  a  prominent  feature  in  the  home  mission 
work. 

In    the  course  of   a   few  years,  '  the  improvement 


122  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

which  had  taken  place  among  the  population  of  the 
district,  and  the  benefits  conferred  by  the  mission, 
were  manifest  to  the  merest  observer.  This  was 
acknowledged  by  the  people  themselves,  as  well  as  by 
many  residents  in  the  neighbourhood,  who,  at  various 
times,  volunteered  their  grateful  testimony.  The 
swarm  of  unwashed,  untrained  youngsters,  that  used 
to  infest  the  district,  and  annoy  the  neighbourhood, 
had  disappeared.' 

Altogether,  the  number  of  the  young  connected 
with  the  church  and  mission  districts,  under  religious 
instruction,  was  not  less  than  five  hundred ;  whilst 
those  on  the  roll  of  the  day-school — now  under  four 
teachers — numbered  374, 

It  was  ascertained,  by  the  visits  of  the  missionaries, 
at  this  period,  that  there  were  no  children,  capable  of 
attending,  who  were  not  at  school,  provision  being 
made,  by  individual  private  benevolence,  for  paying 
the  fees  of  those  whose  parents  or  guardians  were 
unable  to  do  so. 

This  continued  to  be  a  school  for  a  full  secular 
education,  in  all  its  branches,  combined  with  religious 
instruction ;  the  congregation,  true  to  its  princijiles, 
refusing  all  Government  gTants,  and  supporting  it  by 
its  own  contributions.  After  the  passing  of  the  Edu- 
cation Act,  this  school  was  handed  over  in  1872  to  the 
School  Board.  The  people  of  the  church  were  soon 
able  to  rid  themselves  of  the  burden  of  debt,  and  to 
build  besides  school  and  mission  premises,  at  a  cost  of 


EDINBURGH — DUNCAN    STREET.  123 

£600.  At  this  time  (1856)  Mr.  Eobertson  writes :  '  We 
had  one  of  our  social  meetings  among  ourselves,  when 
it  was  reported  that  there  had  been  raised,  during  the 
past  twelvemonth,  considerably  more  than  £1200. 
The  debt  on  church  and  school  property,  which  stood 
over  at  £1800,  is  now  brought  to  a  perpetual 
end.  And  in  April  next  we  hope  to  celebrate  our 
emancipation.' 

These  *  social  meetings  among  ourselves  '  were,  like 
everything  else,  meant  to  be  special  means  of  grace, 
when  the  conventionalities  that  belong  to  the  world  were 
laid  aside,  and  the  members  met  on  a  common  footing, 
with  the  understanding :  '  One  is  your  Master,  even 
Christ,  and  all  ye  are  brethren.'  One  moving  spirit 
was  among  them,  bringing  those  together  that  might 
value  or  help  each  other,  and  making  all  easy,  and 
genial,  and  kindly — drawing  out  the  special  talents 
of  some  for  the  benefit  of  all,  and  never  failing  to 
give  the  cast  of  his  own  lofty  and  sacred  aims  to  the 
whole. 

Many  recall,  with  much  warmth,  the  heart  and 
homeliness  of  those  days  in  the  old  but  '  amiable 
tabernacle,'  with  a  flock  growing  in  numbers  year  by 
year,  and  in  loving  harmony  with  one  another,  in  all 
congregational  and  Christian  work.  Nothing  could 
be  more  like  what  we  may  suppose  the  circle  of  the 
early  Church  to  have  been.  It  seemed  natural  for  them 
to  adopt,  for  some  of  their  number,  such  names  as 
*  Paul,'  and  '  Barnabas,'  and  '  Phebe  our  sister.' 


124  JAMES   ROBERTSON. 

Thus  he  strikes  the  keynote  for  a  Christian  social 
meeting  in  his  student  days  : — 

'  Can  we  suppress  the  thrill  of  affectionate  interest  in  each 
other,  even  were  we  to  try  the  experiment  1  Can  any  heart 
here,  hy  any  effort,  go  into  cold  and  jealous  calculation  of 
comparative  rank  or  standing  with  any  one  who  sits  heside 
3'ou,  or  who  addresses  you  1  Perish  the  thought !  All 
such  considerations  are  swallowed  up,  sunk,  lost  in  the  deep 
and  delightful  consciousness  that  we  are  associated  with 
the  friends  of  Jesus — loved  hy  our  Common  Father,  sancti- 
fied hy  our  Common  Comforter,  heirs  of  the  Common 
Salvation.  It  will  he  so  if,  through  mercy,  we  reach 
heaven.  Wlij  should  it  for  a  moment  be  otherwise  on 
earth  ?  In  order  that  our  meeting  may  image  the  harmony 
and  happiness  of  heaven,  one  thing  is  indispensably  necessary, 
that,  as  on  a  memorable  occasion  in  Cana  of  Galilee,  Jesus 
shall  be  invited  to  the  feast  to  honour  it  by  His  presence 
and  hallow  it  by  His  blessing,'  etc.  etc. 

The  same  keynote  was  sounded  in  these  congrega- 
tional gatherings,  held  with  the  view  of  keej^ing  up 
mutual  acquaintance  and  fellowship,  and  giving  them 
further  impetus  for  everyday  life. 

It  was  no  empty,  formal  invitation  that  Jesus  re- 
ceived to  the  feast,  as  if  there  were  little  concern 
whether  He  came  or  not ;  but  such  a  one  as  would 
have  made  pastor  and  people  disappointed  if  He  was 
not  with  them,  '  to  honour  it  by  His  presence,  and 
hallow  it  by  His  blessing.'  It  is  unnecessary  to  add 
that  the  character  of  the  entertainment  provided  was 


EDINBURGH — DUNCAN    STREET.  125 

in   harmony    with  the  Divine  fellowship  desired  and 
expected. 

To  an  absent  member  of  the  congregation,  he  writes  : 

'  24th  February  1862. 
'  How  much  I  wish  you  had  been  with  us  to  enjoy  our 
delightful  social  meeting  of  the  teachers  last  night.  It  was 
a  time  of  great  enjoyment — quite  like  an  "  ordinance ;  "  and 
we  parted  saying,  "  The  Lord  has  been  with  us  of  a  truth." 
But  I  am  glad  you  are  off  for  change,  and  I  fondly  trust 
you  will  return  with  many  materials  for  a  "new  song." 
Jesus  is  the  "  Saviour  of  the  body"  and  we  must  take  good 
care  of  His  property.  May  He  keep  you  as  the  apple  of 
His  eye.  How  intensely  tender  is  that  image  !  Bodily 
infirmity  cannot  touch  your  life — your  true  life — the  life 
hid  with  Christ  in  God.  With  what  confidence,  and  with 
what  assured  expectation,  you  may  put  yourself  wholly  into 
the  hands  of  the  Infallible  Physician.  The  more  simple 
and  full  our  faith  in  His  finished  loork,  the  more  rapid  and 
sure  will  be  our  spiritual  healing.' 

The  Eev.  John  Young,  afterwards  colleague  and 
son-in-law  to  Mr.  Robertson  (who,  jorevious  to  his 
ordination,  had  been  connected  with  the  congregation 
for  many  years,  and  had  rendered  much  valued  help 
in  many  departments  of  its  work),  says  : — 

'As  early  as  1859  or  1860,  there  were  originated  two 
Sabbath  forenoon  children's  services  (for  the  mission  dis- 
tricts)— long  before  Foundry  Boys'  Societies  or  so-called 
children's  churches  came  into  fashion.  They  still  flourish  ; 
and  never  has  there  been  any  friction  between  them  and 


126  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

the  church,  as  care  has  always  been  taken  that  they  neither 
lessened  the  attendance  m  "  the  family  pew,"  nor  drained 
away  from  the  church  services  more  than  two  or  three  adults 
to  take  charge.' 

Whether  or  not  a  statement  as  satisfactory  can 
be  always  made  in  regard  to  children's  churches, 
may  be  doubted.  Mr.  Eobertson,  in  later  years,  fully 
appreciated  the  difficulties  arising  in  connection  with 
them,  and  became  suspicious  as  to  what  the  outcome 
might  be  in  the  future,  in  fostering  a  desultory  church 
attendance.  On  a  Sabbath  forenoon's  visit  to  a  service 
of  this  kind  in  another  city,  when  hundreds  of  adults 
were  crowding  to  the  gallery,  the  question  was  put 
to  him,  '  Why  are  there  so  many  grown-up  people 
here  ?  I  thought  it  was  for  children  ; '  and  he  replied, 
'  Ah,  that's  the  sore  bit  of  these  children's  services  ! 
"Wlien  they  become  men  and  women  they  just  continue 
coming  here.' 

From  the  foregoing  it  will  be  seen,  to  use  Mr. 
Young's  words — 

'  How  thoroughly  the  character  impressed  upon  the  church 
from  the  beginning,  under  Mr.  Robertson's  ministry,  was 
that  of  a  home  mission  one.  It  was  territorial  in  the  best 
sense  of  the  term.  It  lived  and  laboured,  from  its  infancy, 
for  the  Causewayside,  and  it  blended  into  a  membership 
truly  one  in  spirit,  the  suburban  and  mission  classes  in  its 
neighbourhood.  The  aim  in  Newington  has  always  been  to 
have  a  thorough  mixture  of  classes ;  and  all  arrangements 
as  to  seat-holding,  social  gatherings,  etc.,  have  been  made 


EDINBURGH — DUNCAN    STREET.  127 

subservient  to  giving  to  the  poorest  a  home-feeling  in  its 
membership.  There  has  been  no  undue  haste  to  draft  into 
the  communion  of  the  church  those  impressed  at  our  mission 
meetings,  or  residing  in  the  mission  district ;  but  many  of 
our  best  members  have  been  won  through  the  mission,  and 
the  percentage  of  disappointments  has  been  very  small.' 

The  following  is  from  the  pen  of  an  eminent 
Glasgow  physician,  Dr.  Yellowlees,  who  was  at  this 
time  a  student  at  Edinburgh  University,  and  attended 
Mr.  Eobertson's  ministry  : — 

'  You  ask  me  for  reminiscences  of  Mr.  Robertson  and 
"  Duncan  Street  "  in  my  student  days.  It  is  like  asking  for 
some  old  song,  of  which  you  can  recall  only  fragments, 
though  its  cadence  and  pathos  are  unforgotten.  It  is  like 
asking  an  analysis  of  some  familiar  friend,  whom  you  felt  to 
be  so  good  and  true,  that  you  never  thought  of  cataloguing 
his  virtues. 

'  "  Duncan  Street  "  was — ^just  Duncan  Street.  You  had  to 
feel  it,  before  you  could  understand  it.  And  Duncan  vStreet 
was  just  what  James  Robertson  made  it.  ISfever  did  con- 
gregation more  truly  reflect  its  pastor,  for  never  did  pastor 
more  truly  put  himself  into  his  work, 

'  In  him  the  life  and  work  of  the  congregation  centred,  and 
from  him  they  took  their  tone.  I^o  wonder,  then,  that  the 
spirit  of  the  church  was  Christian  fellowship  in  Christian 
work,  and  that  brotherly  love  abounded.  There  were  no 
strangers  in  Duncan  Street ;  for  if  strangers  came  they 
instantly  became  friends,  attracted  and  magnetized  by  the 
pervading  spirit.  To  "  belong  to  Duncan  Street "  was  a  bond 
of  friendship  of    no  common  kind,  and  it  implied  to  my- 


128  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

self,  and  to  many  another  student,  an  amount  of  personal 
interest  and  real  kindness  which  can  never  be  forgotten,  and 
which  commended  the  gospel  to  us  as  nothing  else  could 
have  done. 

'  This  spirit  of  fellowship  pervaded  all  the  congregational 
work.  Each  department  of  it  interested  all,  and  was 
quickened  and  sustained  by  the  common  interest.  The  con- 
gregational social  meetings  were  liker  a  large  family  gather- 
ing than  anything  else  ;  and  our  minister  was  never  more  in 
his  element  than  when  there,  promoting  the  Christian  fellow- 
ship in  which  he  so  rejoiced.  In  the  intervals  of  the 
business  he  would  move  quietly  about  the  room,  with  a 
smile  or  a  word  for  every  one  near  him.  He  remembered 
names,  faces,  and  personal  circumstances  with  Avonderful 
accuracy,  and  made  his  people  known  to  each  other  with 
such  happy  tact  and  ease  that  each  deemed  it  a  favour. 

'  Perhaps  before  you  knew  he  was  near  you,  you  would 
find  his  arm  over  your  shoulder,  with — "  And  when  did  you 
hear  from  your  mother  1  I  wish  there  Avere  more  like  Jier." 
If  there's  a  better  way  of  getting  at  the  heart  of  a  lonely 
student  than  that,  I  don't  know  it.  But  such  tact  was  his 
special  gift.  He  could  put  himself  alongside  others  with 
singular  ease,  and  could  so  slide  into  their  heart  and  feelings, 
that  they  felt  as  if  he  had  been  there  all  the  while.  It  was 
this  faculty  that  made  his  visits  so  welcome  in  sickness,  and 
so  comforting  in  sorrow. 

'  In  the  congregational  Sabbath  school  he  was  the  same, 
alike  with  teachers  and  scholars.  The  lambs  of  the  flock 
were  his  peculiar  care,  and  however  long  or  fatiguing  the 
services  in  the  church  had  been,  he  had  always  some  tender 
words  for  them  in  closing  the  school. 


EDINBURGH DUNCAN    STEEET.  129 

'  If  you  met  hini  in  the  street  he  was  the  same.  He  would 
take  your  arm  and  walk  along  with  you,  ask  about  your 
friends,  and  your  studies,  brighten  you  with  some  home 
allusion,  tell  you  some  story  leaving  you  to  find  its  lesson, 
and  then  probably  say,  "  Man,  I  wish  you  would  come  over 
to  breakfast  on  Wednesday — eight  o'clock,  you  know — and 
you'll  get  away  in  time  for  your  classes  ;  and  I'll  ask  James 

,  and  James ,  and  Henry ,  and  the  rest ;  and 

there's  a  new  student  I  want  you  to  know.  It  aye  does 
my  heart  good  to  see  you  young  men."  Thus  he  went 
about  bringing  sunshine.  How  much  brighter  life  would 
be  if  Ave  all  tried  to  do  likewise  ! 

'  When  we  met  at  breakfast,  he  seemed  as  if  it  truly  did 
do  his  heart  good,  but  the  real  gain  was  ours.  The  kind 
inquiries  and  kinder  home  reminiscences  about  each  of  us, 
the  genial  way  in  which  he  brought  out  the  most  reticent, 
and  the  wise  way  in  which  he  could  diifer  without  wound- 
ing, did  us  far  more  good  than  we  knew ;  while  Mrs. 
Robertson's  motherly  gentleness — never  to  be  forgotten  by 
me — made  it  almost  like  a  glimpse  of  home. 

'  The  quarterly  sermon  to  the  children  Avas  another  feature 
of  Duncan  Street,  which  no  retrospect  could  omit.  They 
were  great  occasions.  The  children  and  their  teachers  sat 
in  the  centre  of  the  church,  and  every  part  of  the  build- 
ing was  crowded.  The  text  was  always  read  by  one  of 
the  children — a  proud,  but  trying  distinction.  In  preach- 
ing, Mr.  Robertson  put  questions  to  the  children,  and  the 
word  of  commendation  elicited  by  a  good  reply  Avas  more 
valued  than  the  costliest  prize,  A  verse  or  two  of  some 
favourite  hymn  Avas  ahvays  introduced  during  the  sermon 
— sometimes  more  than    once,  and    sung   by  the    children 

I 


130  JAMES    ROBERTSON". 

with  great  fervour.  The  sermons  were  simple,  tender, 
pointed,  and  memorable.  His  whole  heart  went  out  to  the 
little  ones.  His  administration  of  baptism  was,  for  the 
like  reason,  very  tender  and  impressive. 

'  Perhaps  Mr.  Robertson's  ministry  was  at  its  best  in  the 
Duncan  Street  period.  He  felt  sustained  by  a  devoted  and 
earnest  people,  who  had  gathered  around  him,  and  he  was 
still  unfretted  by  the  cares  and  anxieties  of  a  large  con- 
gregation. 

'  In  the  pulpit  you  felt  that  he  was  at  home,  and  strong  in 
his  Master's  strength.  His  prayers  were  always  remarkable 
— so  lofty,  direct,  tender,  and  trustful.  In  private  they  were 
often  yet  more  striking,  from  his  peculiar  felicity  in  intro- 
ducing personal  circumstances'  or  local  allusions,  and  so 
clothing  common  things  with  a  new  significance.  His 
preaching  appealed  more  to  the  heart  than  to  the  head, 
but  its  tender  earnestness  gave  it  wonderful  power,  and  it 
was  full  of  Christ  crucified.  He  liked  to  dwell  on  favourite 
themes,  and  was  prone  to  picture  and  amplify,  but  he  could 
also  be  terse  and  pointed.  He  used  contrast,  antithesis,  and 
alliteration  largely,  and  often  put  the  truth  in  a  most 
memorable  way  with  tlieir  aid.  Some  of  his  sentences 
come  back  to  me  still  like  echoes  of  other  days. 

'  But  after  all  I  have  now  written — and  it  is  far  more  than 
I  had  intended — I  feel  that  my  first  words  were  right.  You 
cannot  tell  what  Duncan  Street  was  to  those  who  were  not 
there.  You  could  not  understand  it  till  you  felt  it,  and 
scarcely  then ; — but  "  that  we  were  in  Duncan  Street "  is 
still  the  bond  of  some  of  my  best  friendships.  To  us  the 
church  monopolized  the  whole  street,  and  somehow  tlie  old 
folk  never  took  so  kindly  to  the  new  church  at  Grange  Road. 


EDINBURGH — DUNCAN    STREET.  131 

It  was  not  Duncan  Street.  I  have  never  seen  the  same 
spirit  anywhere  else,  and  I  miss  it  sadly.  When  I  see  city 
churches  where  the  minister  rarely  enters  his  Sabbath  school, 
where  he  can  scarcely  know  his  members  by  sight,  and 
where  the  members  scarcely  know  each  other,  I  cannot 
but  fear  that  we  are  in  danger  of  taking  false  standards 
wherewith  to  measure  the  life  of  our  congregations.  Huge 
membership,  fine  architecture,  swelling  organs,  and  big 
collections  would  be  very  poor  substitutes  for  the  spirit  of 
Duncan  Street.' 

Reference  has  been  made  in  the  foregoing  recollec- 
tions to  the  children's  services  as  being  '  great  occa- 
sions '  in  Mr.  Eobertson's  church  at  home.  They 
were  in  no  less  degree  '  great  occasions  '  away  from 
home,  wherever  it  was  announced  that  Mr.  Eobertson 
was  to  preach  a  children's  sermon.  It  was  a  feature 
in  his  ministry  that  began  early,  and  continued  in 
growing  intensity  and  interest  on  to  its  close.  His 
bright,  joyous,  sympathetic  nature  ever  drew  the 
young  irresistibly  around  him. 

One  of  these  services  about  this  time  comes  vividly 
to  mind,  though  many  years  have  passed  away  since. 
It  was  on  a  Sabbath  evening  in  the  church  in  Stirling 
in  which  he  had  himself  sat  when  a  boy.  All  the 
Sabbath  schools  in  the  town  and  neighbourhood  were 
cono;res;ated  tooether,  and  long  before  the  hour  of 
meeting  the  spacious  house  was  crowded  in  every 
part,  the  passages  and  pulpit  stairs  and  even  the  pulpit 
itself  beimj  throncred  with  children,  all  in  eager  ex- 


132  JAMES    ROBEETSON. 

pectation.  It  was  a  sight  the  preacher  obviously  loved 
to  see,  as  with  beaming  countenance  he  threaded  his 
way  slowly  from  the  vestry  with  a  smile  for  each  as 
he  passed,  and  a  pat  on  the  shoulder  for  some. 

When  he  had  announced  where  his  text  was  to  be 
found,  he  asked  if  '  any  child  would  be  good  enough 
to  read  it.'  It  was  before  these  modern  days  of 
youthful  development  in  that  direction,  and  the  large 
audience  held  its  breath  for  an  instant  or  two,  when  a 
responsive  movement  was  observed  behind  the  preacher. 
Mr.  Eobertson,  turning  round  and  taking  a  little  boy 
by  the  hand,  said,  '  Here  is  a  little  man  who  is  kindly 
going  to  read  my  text  for  me, ; '  and  in  clear,  distinct 
tones,  slowly  and  reverently  the  words  were  read : 
'  And  they  shall  be  mine,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts, 
in  that  day  when  I  make  up  my  jewels  '  (Mai.  iii,  17).^ 
'  Thank  you,  my  little  boy,'  said  Mr.  liobertson  when 
lie  had  finished.  '  When  you  grow  up  to  be  a  man,  I 
hope  you  will  become  a  minister  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  read  many  such  texts  from  all  the  pulpits 
round.'  The  '  little  boy '  is  now  Professor  Henry 
Drummond,  of  the  Free  Church  College,  Glasgow, 
whose  name  as  that  of  an  author  and  an  evangelist 
is  so  familiar  to  us  all. 

We  subjoin  an  address  delivered  many  years  later 

by  Mr.  Eobertson,  at  a  Saturday  children's  gathering 

in  Glasgow,  in  connection  with  the  '  Flower  Mission,' 

an  institution  which,  with  its  sympathetic  ministrations 

^  This  sermon  is  given  at  p.  307  of  this  volume. 


EDINBURGH — DUNCAN    STREET.  133 

and  sweet  comfort,  has  been  a  power  for  good  in  our 
large  cities  to  many  a  weary  and  sorrowful  soul. 

Guess  where  to  find  my  text  ?  to  find  it  in  a  field, 
to  find  it  among  the  rich  green  grass,  from  which 
there  comes  up  a  fresh,  delicious  smell. 

I  stooped  down,  and  found  my  text  nestling  there, 
underneath  some  broad  leaves,  and  hanging  down  its 
head  upon  a  slender  stalk.  It  was  a  sweet  spring 
flower.  I  plucked  it,  and  admired  it,  and  put  it  in 
there,  in  my  button-hole.  It  gave  me  some  thoughts, 
that  led  me  to  remember  you,  and  to  remember  a  little 
ditty  I  have  often  heard  dear  children  singing — 

'  Buttercups  and  daisies,  oh  tlie  pretty  flowers, 
Coining  in  the  spring-time,  to  tell  of  sunny  hours.' 

'  The  Flower  Mission ' — you  have  all  heard  of  it. 
Last  Thursday  evening  I  was  talking  with  one  of  the 
kind  friends  who  visit  in  the  Infirmary,  and  sing 
gospel  hymns  to  the  poor  sufferers  there,  and  I  was 
happy  to  hear  that  the  Flower  Mission  had  begun 
again,  as  in  former  years ;  and  this  is  one  of  the 
ways  in  which  you  children  may  make  yourselves 
very  useful,  gathering  flowers,  and  making  them  int(j 
bouquets  or  posies  to  brighten  up  and  cheer  the  dull 
ward  of  the  sick,  like  sweet  smiles  and  shining  stars 
of  heaven. 

Flowers   for  Jesus  !     Who  will  "ather  flowers  for 


134  JAMES    EOBERTSOX. 

Jesus  in  spring  and  summer  ?  He  who  said  to  Mary, 
when  she  broke  the  box  and  poured  the  ointment  on 
His  head,  '  She  hath  done  what  she  could,'  will  rejoice 
in  everything  that  is  done  from  love  to  Him.  To 
every  such  flower -gatherer  He  will  say  when  He 
comes  in  His  glory,  '  I  was  sick,  and  ye  visited  me : 
Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  to  one  of  the  least  of  these, 
ye  did  it  unto  me.' 

So  I  was  led  to  take  as  my  topic  to-day,  what  you 
will  read  for  me  in  Song  of  Solomon  ii.  verses  10-13  : 

'  My  beloved  spake,  and  said  unto  me.  Else  up,  my 
love,  my  fair  one,  and  come  away. 

'  For,  lo,  the  winter  is  past,  the  rain  is  over  and 
gone ; 

'  The  flowers  appear  on  the  earth ;  the  time  of  the 
singing  of  birds  is  come,  and  the  voice  of  the  turtle  is 
heard  in  our  land  ; 

'  The  fig  tree  putteth  forth  her  green  figs,  and  the 
vines  with  the  tender  grape  give  a  good  smell.  Arise, 
my  love,  my  fair  one,  and  come  away.' 

I  have  my  eye  particularly  on  these  six  words  in 
the  begiuning  of  verse  12  :  '  The  flowers  appear  on  the 
earth.' 

I  never  knew  a  child  who  was  not  fond  of  flowers. 
I  cannot  forget  the  unspeakable  delight  it  was  to 
me,  when  quite  a  child,  to  watch  the  little  green 
points  of  the  crocus  breaking  through  the  ground, 
because  they  told  me  that  spring  flowers  were  going 
to  '  appear  on  the  earth,'      I  trust  God  will  let  me 


EDINBURGH — DUNCAN    STREET.  135 

love  the  flowers,  and  the  singing  of  the  birds,  as  long 
as  I  live  here.  Oh  that  our  hearts  may  continue 
brimful  of  praise  to  Him,  for  the  joy  they  bring  us, 
year  by  year,  at  the  first  burst  of  spring ! 

There  was  a  great  man  once,  who  thought  it  so 
good  for  everybody  to  see  and  love  God's  beautiful 
gift  of  flowers,  that  he  used  to  say  to  his  friends, 
'  If  you  have  money  enough  to  buy  two  loaves,  you 
may  buy  one  loaf,  but  be  sure  to  buy  along  with  it 
a  bunch  of  flowers.'  Another  who  is  now  with  Jesus, 
had,  when  on  her  dying-bed,  a  flower  put  into  her 
hand.  She  turned  it  round  and  round,  looking 
earnestly  at  it,  and  then  said,  '  It  is  God's  flower,  and 
it  is  so  God-like.'  In  that  flower,  she  loved  Him  who 
made  it,  even  that  Saviour  dear,  wlio,  when  sitting 
on  a  mountain  in  the  midst  of  flowers,  stooped  down 
and  picked  up  one,  as  He  spoke  to  the  peoj)le,  and 
held  it  in  His  hand,  and  said,  '  Consider  the  lilies.' 
You  may  read  it  in  Matthew  vi.  28.  'Consider  the 
lilies ' — the  flowers  of  the  field.  Is  not  this  the 
time  for  considering  them,  when  they  are  beginning 
to  bud  and  bloom  on  every  side  ? 

What  is  it  to  consider  them  ?  It  is  something 
more  than  looking  at  them  or  smelling  them,  some- 
thing more  than  making  them  into  daisy  chains,  or 
cowslip  wreaths,  and  wearing  them  on  your  breast. 
To  '  consider '  them  is  to  think  much  about  them.  It 
is  to  think  what  the  flowers  would  say  if  they  had 
tongues  and  could  speak. 


136  JAMES    EOBERTSON. 

Well,  what  would  they  say  ? 

1.  The  flowers  would  say  :  '  There  is  a  God  who 
created  us,  and  thouQ-h  there  are  ten  thousand  different 
kinds  of  us.  He  has  put  us  all  in  our  right  places. 
Some  of  us  grow  on  the  hill-sides,  and  some  of  us 
grow  in  the  valleys ;  some  on  the  water's  edge,  and 
some  far  away  in  the  wilderness.'  Surely  God  loves 
flowers,  for  He  first  planted  a  garden  in  Eden,  and 
put  in  it  every  plant  that  was  beautiful  to  look  upon  ; 
and  '  God  saw  that  it  was  good.' 

Go  on,  pretty  flowers,  go  on  teaching  us  ! 

What !  Can  a  flower  be  a  teacher  to  you  and  to 
me  ?  Yes,  a  dumb  teacher.  It  is  as  silent  teachers 
that  flowers  have  been  given  lis.  God  has  not  sent 
flowers  to  feed  us,  or  to  make  us  rich.  Though  there 
were  not  a  flower  in  all  the  world,  we  would  have  food, 
and  raiment,  and  riches,  all  the  same. 

But  all  God's  handiworks  must  be  of  some  use,  and 
He  has  raised  up  these  lovely  little  teachers  to  speak  to 
us,  from  under  their  green  leaves,  lessons  about  Himself. 

The  fool  hath  said  in  his  heart,  '  There  is  no  God.' 
But  nature  says  in  her  heart,  and  in  every  colour  and 
feature  of  her  flushing  face,  '  There  is  a  God — an  only 
wise  God — and  He  is  here  ! ' 

How  wise  God  is  !  and  what  a  worker  of  wonders  ! 
Take  a  magnifying  glass.  Examine  with  it  the "  most 
delicate  web  that  ever  came  out  of  the  looms  of  Paisley 
or  Manchester,  and  the  threads  you  would  see  looking 
rude  and  rough,  almost  like  cable  ropes. 


EDINBURGH — DUNCAN    STREET.  137 

But  pluck  the  leaf  of  a  lily,  and  put  it  under  your 
microscope.  What  glorious  tints  are  laid  open  to  you  ! 
And  if  your  glass  were  a  thousand  times  stronger,  the 
beauties  would  be  a  thousand  times  more. 

Yonder,  on  the  table  in  one  of  your  houses,  isn't 
there  a  bunch  of  artificial  flowers,  with  a  wax  lily 
among  the  rest  ?  How  ingenious  the  lady  who 
fashioned  it !  But  take  it  near.  Where  is  the  life, 
the  growth,  the  freshness  and  fragrance  of  the  living- 
flower  ?     Bees  soon  know  the  difference. 

Look  at  them  through  your  microscope.  This 
wax  one  is  like  coarse  canvas.  But  in  God's  you 
see  all  the  minute  pores  through  which  it  draws  in 
gas  like  breath.  Along  its  tiny  veins,  its  blood,  the 
sap  is  flowing.  Its  roots  go  hunting  down  into  the 
earth  for  meat  and  drink,  and  both  are  pumped  up, 
through  the  stem,  to  the  milk-white  cup — the  smelling- 
bottle  at  the  top.  '  Verily  this  is  the  finger  of  God.' 
And  when  God  is  the  artist,  how  perfect  is  the 
painting  of  His  flowers  !  I  recollect  the  exclamation 
of  a  good  friend,  who  held  a  lily  in  his  right  hand, 
and  a  clod  of  black  earth  in  his  left.  He  said  : 
'  Wliat  a  God  must  our  God  be,  who  is  always  pro- 
ducing the  like  of  this  out  of  the  like  of  that  ! '  And 
I  could  tell  you  of  a  minister,  who  had  many  sore 
trials  to  bear,  and  who  was  tempted,  in  the  midst  of 
them,  to  doubt  the  Word  of  God.  When  in  this 
miserable  state  of  mind,  he  was  riding  one  after- 
noon on  horseback,  along  a  thickly-shaded  path,  when 


138  JAMES    ROBERTSON". 

from  one  of  the  trees  overhead  there  came  a  little 
leaf  trembling  down  (you  know  how  a  leaf  goes,  this 
way  and  that  way,  when  it  falls),  and  it  alighted 
right  in  front  of  him  on  the  saddle.  He  took  it  up, 
and  turned  it  over,  and,  as  the  sun  was  shining 
through  the  trees,  and  as  he  held  it  up  to  the  sunlight, 
he  was  struck  with  all  its  little  veins,  so  much  more 
exquisite  than  the  finest  lace  of  man's  making,  and 
he  said  to  himself,  *  Surely  this  leaf  has  come  from 
heaven  at  this  moment  to  put  my  doubts  to  shame, 
and  to  tell  me  I  have  a  Father  yet,  who  is  too  wise  to 
err.'  So  his  fetters  were  broken,  and  '  he  went  on  his 
way  rejoicing '  in  God.  Didn't  he  truly  find  tongues 
in  the  tree  from  which  the  leaf  had  fallen ! 

'  How  manifold,  Lord,  are  Thy  works, 
In  wisdom  Tliou  hast  made  them  all.' 

Say  away,  pretty  flowers  !  wdiat  else  have  you  to 
teach  us  ? 

2.  Listen  !  they  are  saying,  '  God  is  love,  faithful 
love.      Great  is  His  faithfulness.' 

Yes,  my  children,  the  lengthening  days  are  telling 
it,  the  birds  are  singing  it,  the  flowers  are  blooming 
it !  It  is  breaking  abroad  this  morning  in  all  the 
balmy  air. 

Did  God's  own  hand  raise  that  flower  on  its  stem 
with  all  its  rich  minglings  of  colour  ?  Then  God 
must  love  beauty.  And  may  we  not  expect  that  God 
will  be  tender  Himself  ?     The  dearest  things  we  have 


EDINBURGH — DUNCAN    STREET.  139 

we  can  bring  to  Him, — our  wounded  feelings,  our 
trembling  hopes,  our  children  when  they  are  sick,  or 
when  they  are  seeking  salvation,  and  our  own  souls 
when  they  are  all  sensibility  and  sorrow.  Yes,  all 
these  we  may  bring  to  Him  Whose  mercy  is  tender 
mercy.  Whose  kindness  is  loving-kindness. 
This  is  the  use  of  flowers — 

'  To  comfort  man,— to  whisper  hope 

AVhene'er  his  faith  is  dim, 
For  God  who  careth  for  the  ilowers 
Will  much  more  care  for  him.' 

This  was  what  Jesus  was  seeking  to  make  the 
disciples  understand,  when  He  said,  '  Consider  the 
lilies.' 

Eead,  when  you  get  home,  the  latter  part  of  that 
6th  chapter  of  Matthew,  from  the  25th  verse  down- 
wards, and  you  will  find  Him  first  pointing  to  the 
sparrows,  as  they  darted  to  and  fro  beneath  the  bright 
blue  sky. 

Behold  these  fowls  (says  He),  see  how  happy  they 
are  !  Wlio  keeps  Eobin  Eedbreast's  cupboard  ?  Surely 
the  God  who  feeds  His  birds  will  never  starve  His 
bairns  ! 

And  it  is  the  very  same  teaching  He  repeats. 

Look  at  the  lilies, — how  they  grow.  Not  by  being 
careworn ;  no,  their  fair  leaves  are  never  fretted  by 
a  single  wrinkle  of  anxiety.  Are  they  ever  heard  to 
cry,  '  When  will  that  hot  sun  set  ?  When  will  the 
next  shower  come  ? ' 


140  JAMES    EOBERTSON. 

Are  you  not  much  better  than  they — you,  who 
have  souls  that  shall  never  fade  away  ? 

And  will  your  Father  forget  you,  while  He  still 
remembers  them  ?  Mungo  Park,  the  African  traveller, 
was  at  one  time  surrounded  by  savage  beasts,  and  still 
more  savage  men,  who  plundered  him,  and  left  him 
almost  half-dead,  among  barren  rocks  and  burning 
sands,  '  In  a  cleft  of  a  rock,'  said  he,  '  I  caught  a 
glimpse  of  a  lovely  little  green  tuft  of  moss,  not  bigger 
than  the  tip  of  my  finger.  It  looked  to  me  like  a 
smile  from  God.  I  said,  '  I  must  not  think  myself  for- 
gotten or  forsaken.  Poor  and  needy  though  I  be,  the 
God  of  that  tuft  cares  for  me.'  So  his  heart  grew 
brave  again.  His  limbs  gradually  recovered  strength, 
and  he  went  hopefully  forward,  till  he  found  a  place 
of  refreshing  and  repose.  If  the  fresh  verdure  of  that 
little  plant  saved  his  life — as  it  probably  did — surely 
the  blooming  of  all  the  flowers  we  see  around  us  may 
still  save  our  faith,  may  still  lift  up  the  hands  that 
hang  down,  and  confirm  the  feeble  knees.  And  just 
what  the  small  bit  of  moss  was  to  Mungo  Park,  Jesus 
intends  the  lilies  to  be  to  us.  The  best  lesson  taught 
by  them  is  trust.  '  Have  faith  in  God,'  '  only  trust 
Him.' 

Go  on,  pretty  flowers,  go  on  talking  and  teaching  us. 

What  other  lessons  would  you  have  us  learn  ? 

Hearken,  what  tliey  are  saying — 

3.  Children  ought  never  to  be  proud — proud  of 
their  dress. 


EDINBURGH — DUNCAN    STREET.  141 

I  once  heard  of  a  girl  wlio  stayed  at  home  from  the 
Sabbath  school  for  weeks,  because  she  had  not  got  a 
small  piece  of  finery,  like  some  of  her  companions, 
and  she  was  too  proud  to  show  herself  at  school 
without.  Ah  !  such  girls  must  be  sent  to  the  lily's 
school  again.  Has  not  Jesus  already  sent  them  there, 
when  He  said,  '  Even  Solomon  in  all  his  glory  was 
not  arrayed  like  one  of  these '  ? 

'  There's  not  a  yellow  buttercup,  returning  with  the  spring, 
But  it  can  show  a  golden  crown,  as  bright  as  any  king. 
The  red  rose  and  the  lily  give  that  charm  of  summer  day, 
There's  not  a  lady  in  the  land  so  finely  dressed  as  they.' 

Any  more  to  say,  pretty  flowers  ?     Any  more  ? 

4.   Yes,  one  word  more,  as  you  find  it  in  Isa.  xl.  6  : 

'  All  flesh  is  grass,  and  all  the  goodliness  thereof  as 
the  flower  of  the  field.' 

Yes,  all  the  dear  children  here  may  be  likened 
to  spring  flowers.  For  what  ?  For  freshness  and 
beauty. 

I  do  delight  in  the  early  bloom  of  the  round  face  of 
a  little  child.  But  just  as  when  you  take  a  flower 
and  pull  it  to  pieces,  it  is  so  pretty  inside,  so  the  soul 
that  is  within  you,  when  sheltered  by  Christ's  side,  and 
beautified  with  Christ's  salvation,  is  very  beautiful, 
very  beautiful  indeed. 

An  excellent  Christian  lady,  well  known  by  the 
name  of  Charlotte  Elizabeth,  took  great  pains  for 
the  salvation  of  a  poor  deaf  and  dumb  Irish  boy, 
called  John   Brett,  and  she  was  accustomed  to  give 


142  JAMES    ROBEHTSON. 

him  the  famihar  flower  name,  '  My  Shamrock.' 
Since  he  could  only  make  signs,  he  used  to  say  that 
God  looked  at  his  jDrayer.  Once  when  asked  how 
he  felt,  he  answered  by  signs,  '  Jack  prayed — God 
looked  at  Jack's  prayer.  Jack  knows  that  Jesus  loves 
poor  Jack.  Jack  very,  very  much  love  Jesus.  Jack 
very  much  hate  Devil.      Go  away,  Devil,  go  away.' 

[Another  story  connected  with  this  boy  would  be 
told  here,  but  the  manuscript  does  not  give  it  in  full 
— only  the  words  :  '  Bad  .  .  drop  of  blood  .  .  Black 
page  .  .  made  all  white  .  .  nothing  .  .  going  away  to 
see  the  Dear  Eed  Hand.'] 

Converted  children  may  be  likened  to  flowers  for 
usefulness  as  well  as  for  beauty. 

Flowers  are  very  useful.  They  brighten  up  the 
faces  of  those  who  look  at  them  in  the  wards  of  a 
hospital.     They  comfort  many  a  lonely  sick  room. 

It  is  told  of  a  Frenchman,  who  was  a  State  prisoner 
for  many  months  and  years,  that  his  great  delight  was 
a  small  flower  that  grew  in  the  little  yard  belonging 
to  his  cell.  It  had  sprung  up  between  two  flagstones, 
and  when  it  began  to  droop  for  want  of  more  room, 
he  sent  a  petition  to  the  Emperor  to  allow  the  two 
flagstones  to  be  lifted  up.  When  the  Emperor  gave 
leave  for  this  his  gratitude  was  unbounded,  because  it 
gave  him  the  companionship  of  his  favourite  flower. 

I  give  it  on  the  authority  of  that  admirable 
Christian  lady.  Miss  Marsh,  that  she  sent  to  a  thought- 
less,   bad   man,    when   he    was   ill,    a   lovely   crimson 


EDINBURGH — DUNCAN    STREET.  143 

azalea,  and  he  used  to  say  that  he  loved  that  flower 
more  than  any  other  that  ever  grew,  because  it  brought 
to  his  memory  and  kept  before  his  mind  that  verse, 
which  she  had  repeated  to  him,  and  which  was  the 
means  of  bringing  him  to  the  Saviour,  '  Though 
your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  as  white  as 
snow ;  though  they  be  red  like  crimson,  they  shall 
be  as  wool.' 

Charlotte  Elizabeth  had  sweet  thoughts  about  the 
flowers  in  her  garden,  such  as  no  one  else  had.  With 
many  of  the  flowers,  she  joined  recollections  of  her 
beloved  friends  ;  and  I  would  like  to  recommend  it  to 
you,  my  young  friends,  as  a  very  pleasant  exercise, 
to  put  down  a  list  of  the  names  of  the  children  of  the 
Bible,  and  call  them  after  different  flowers,  according 
to  your  own  judgment  of  what  suits  them  best. 

For  instance,  there  is  little  Samuel,  who  early 
served  the  Lord.  Might  you  not  put  over  against  his 
name  the  Snowdrop  ?  because  the  snowdrop  is  such 
an  early  spring  flower,  and  so  very  beautiful. 

There  is  little  Moses,  who  was  drawn  out  of  the 
water.  Might  you  not  put  over  against  his  name 
the  Water-lily  ? 

Little  Timothy,  who  was  so  quiet  and  humble  a 
learner  of  his  Bible,  and  from  a  child  wise  to  salva- 
tion.     Might  you  not  call  him  the  Violet  ? 

And  the  little  Hebrew  maid,  who  dressed  the  hair  of 
Naaman's  wife,  so  modest  and  yet  outspoken — instru- 
mental in  saving  her  master's   body  and  her  master's 


144  JAMES    EOBERTSON. 

soul.  Might  she  not  remind  you  of  the  Wallflower  of 
the  spring  ?  Will  you  {older  boys  and  girls)  try  your 
hand  at  this  exercise,  and  send  me  a  list  of  Bible 
names  linked  with  the  flowers  that  you  think  may 
be  suggested  by  their  characters  ? 

And  above  all  delight  yourselves  in  Him  Whose 
name  is  Jesus, — and  over  against  Whose  dear  name 
you  put  the  '  Eose  of  Sharon,'  and  the  '  Lily  of 
the  Valley,'  not  a  lily  that  grows  far  up  the  moun- 
tain, difficult  to  climb,  but  down  where  any  child  can 
reach  it,  and  enjoy  it — the  '  lily  of  the  valley! 

But  I  must  hasten  to  close,  by  adding  as  one 
reason  more  why  children  are  like  flowers, — that 
their  bodies  soon  wither  and  die. 

Hence  the  many,  many  little  graves  in  the  cemetery. 
But  the  cemetery  is  God's  garden,  where  many  seeds 
are  sown,  and,  like  the  flowers,  will  come  up  again, 
will  rise  again  in  glory  '  when  Jesus  comes.'  I  sat 
the  other  night  by  the  death-bed  of  a  young  believer. 
I  sat  with  my  heart  and  my  eyes  full  ;  for  Jesus  was 
giving  to  that  dying  one  some  of  the  foretastes  of 
lieaven.  '  Jesus  only,'  were  the  words  he  loved  to 
come  over.  It  was  like  the  singing  of  sweet  birds, 
on  the  graver  side  of  the  river  of  death.  The  angels 
seemed  to  be  throwing  over  the  wall  to  him  some  of 
the  flowers  of  Paradise. 

'  My  Beloved '  (says  the  Church  in  the  Song  of 
Solomon,  vi.  2,  3) — '  My  Beloved  is  gone  down  into 
His  garden  to  gather  lilies.' 


EDINBURGH — DUNCAN    STREET.  145 

'  Who  has  stolen  my  favourite  flower  ?  Who 
dared  to  touch  it  ? '  cried  the  gardener  one  morning, 
as  he  entered  the  greenhouse.  As  he  came  out  in  his 
rage,  he  met  the  black  butler,  to  whom  he  repeated 
the  angry  question,  '  Who  dared  to  touch  my  favour- 
ite flower  ? '  *  Oh,'  said  the  butler,  '  I'll  tell  you. 
This  morning,  at  an  early  hour,  our  master  sent  me 
to  bring  him  that  very  flower,  and  he  is  wearing  it 
on  his  breast.'  Then  the  gardener  was  silent.  The 
whole  garden  was  the  master's,  and  might  he  not  do 
what  he  liked  with  his  own  ?  So  when  the  black 
butler  Death  comes  into  our  domestic  garden,  to  take 
away  our  freshest  and  fairest,  our  sweetest,  our  best, 
what  is  it  but  '  another  Lily  gathered '  from  the  lower 
to  the  upper  garden,  from  the  shade  to  the  sunshine. 

'  There  everlasting  spring  abides 
And  never  withering  flowers, 
Death,  like  a  narrow  stream,  divides 
That  happy  land  from  ours.' 

'  Come,  children,  march  to  Immanuel's  ground. 
For  soon  we'll  hear  the  trumpet  sound, 
And  then  we  shall  with  Jesus  reign, 
And  never,  never  part  again.' 


CHAPTER    IX. 

i^astoral  OTork  anti  ^amz  3LifE. 
1848-1862. 

Grange  Cottage,  Newington — an  unpretending  abode, 
in  its  quiet  garden,  walled  in  from  a  rather  stirring 
street,  and  near  the  church — what  memories  it  recalls 
to  many  a  one  !  memories  treasured  in  the  inmost 
soul,  to  be  exposed  to  no  rude  touch  of  the  careless, 
and  unconcerned,  and  worldly  !  How  many  poverty- 
stricken  souls  have  entered  there  and  found  untold 
wealth  !  how  many  careworn  ones  have  left,  feeling 
that  their  burdens  had  been  shared,  and  that  the 
light  from  above  had  been  brought  to  shine  upon 
their  path,  making  duty  clearer  and  difficulty  easier  ! 

Those  who  were  uncertain  about  their  relations 
with  God  found  there  in  Mr.  Eobertson  a  most 
sympathetic  friend,  who  would  spare  no  pains,  and 
grudge  no  time,  in  trying  to  solve  their  difficulties, 
to  discover  the  7node  of  applying  to  the  case  the  one 
remedy,  in  the  efficacy  of  which  his  faith  was  unfailing. 
It  was  no  dry  repetition  of   doctrine,  no   formal  use 


PASTORAL    WORK    AND    HOME    LIFE.  147 

of  a  system,  from  which  the  spirit  had  gone,  but  a 
skilful  bringing  of  persons  together, — the  sinner  and 
the  Saviour ;  the  one  of  whom  had  been  miserably 
living  in  ignorance  or  misunderstanding  of  the  other, 
and  was  just  wanting  the  pure  story,  as  the  Bible  tells 
it,  to  dismiss  the  doubts,  and  receive,  with  all  free- 
ness,  the  freely-given  salvation. 

How  promptly  would  he  reply  to  letters  or  questions 
of  inquirers,  and  with  what  earnest,  persevering  care 
would  he  watch  over  cases  of  hopeful  concern, 
supplying  suitable  counteractives  in  each  case  against 
what  might  deaden  impression,  or  check  full  entry 
into  the  glorious  light  ! 

Mr.  Eobertson  used  to  tell  how  liis  desire  to  guide 
seeking  souls  to  tlie  light  was  stimulated  by  the 
memory  of  his  own  early  experiences. 

When  groping  in  darkness,  and  longing  for  guidance, 
though  he  had  the  cream  of  spiritual  teaching  in  his 
own  home,  it  was  not  unnatural  that  he  should  look 
to  him  on  whose  public  ministrations  he  waited  from 
week  to  week,  to  help  him  out  of  the  maze  in  which  he 
was,  '  to  a  place  where  liberty  and  room  is.'  The  shy, 
shrinking  boy  would  linger  behind  the  rest  of  the  con- 
gregation, at  the  close  of  the  Sabbath  morning's  ser- 
vice, and  wait  the  coming  footsteps  of  his  minister, 
earnestly  hoping  that  he  might  give  him  an  oppor- 
tunity of  opening  to  him  the  troubles  of  his  young 
heart. 

When  he  passed,  the  boy  followed  at  a  little  dis- 


148  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

tauce,  eagerly  watching  if  he  would  not  even  look 
round,  and  give  him  a  chance  of  speaking.  The 
studious  pastor,  absorbed  in  the  thought  of  the  many, 
and  the  food  for  them,  little  dreamt  how  a  little  per- 
sonal crumb  was  longed  for  by  this  young  hungry 
soul,  and  did  not  even  notice  him. 

The  impression  of  the  feeling  of  disappointment  left 
was  ever  vivid,  and  accounts  for  Mr.  Eobertson's  being 
always  on  the  outlook  for  such  youthful  cravings, 
ready  continually  to  meet  them  more  than  half-way, 
and  to  help  out  the  longings  and  questionings  ;  and 
for  his  being  often  found  surrounded  by  groups  of 
children. 

Lenient  and  tender  towards  all  who  sought  his 
counsel,  he  was  peculiarly  so  to  the  young  ;  rarely 
criticising,  rarely  finding  fault, — winsome  always. 
While  not  lacking  power  to  discern  blemishes  of 
character,  he  would,  by  the  gentlest  hint,  suggest 
courses  of  thought  and  action  in  the  direction  most 
needed,  and  always  in  such  a  way  as  to  make  the 
listener  anxious  to  enter  into  the  possibilities  pro- 
posed,—  leading,  drawing,  never  driving.  As  the 
natural  result  of  this,  of  his  fine  sense  of  the  sacred- 
ness  of  friendship,  and  of  the  respect  due  to  the 
feelings  of  every  one,  people  of  all  classes  were 
ea^^er  to  unbosom  to  him  what  lay  nearest  their 
hearts,  and  to  seek  counsel  on  matters  spiritual  and 
temporal,  which  they  would  carefully  conceal  from  all 
others. 


PASTORAL    WORK    AND    HOME    LIFE.  14^ 

One  could  not  be  long  under  his  roof,  without 
knowing  to  what  an  extent  this  was  the  case — how  in 
this,  that,  and  the  other  room,  visitors  were  waiting, 
seeking  a  share  of  his  time,  on  very  various  errands, 
and  all  with  equal  faith  in  his  sincere  cordiality  and 
trustworthiness,  and  in  his  willingness  to  involve 
himself  in  wliatever  care  or  labour  their  cases  might 
need.  He  often  put  himself  to  great  trouble  to  help 
students  by  securing  teaching  for  them,  writing  them 
introductions,  and  personally  recommending  them  in 
likely  quarters. 

If  anxious  inquirers  (and  of  these  many  were  outside 
his  own  denomination)  were  paying  repeated  visits, 
eagerly  seeking  the  truth,  and  yet  carefully  testing 
every  step  suggested  before  taking  it,  he  would — in 
addition  to  his  own  instructions — be  selecting  from 
book  or  manuscript,  whatever  might  tend  to  solve  each 
successive  difficulty,  and  getting  some  member  of  the 
household  to  transcribe  it,  without  saying  why.  All 
in  the  household  knew  well  that  any  such  service 
was  meant  to  contribute  to  the  one  great  end  of  his 
ministry  ;  and  it  was  willingly  rendered  for  his  sake. 

Among  other  things  that  had  been  repeatedly  copied 
for  his  use  in  this  way  were  some  verses,  entitled 
'  The  Mistake  and  its  Eectification,'  of  which  the 
following  is  the  story.  One  Sabbath  Mr.  Eobertson 
had  preached  two  sermons,  in  which  he  tried  to  show 
the  difference  between  man's  way  of  seeking  to  save 
himself,  and   God's  gospel  way,  the   text   being,  '  My 


150  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

thoughts  are  not  your  thoughts,  neither  are  your  ways 
my  ways,  saith  the  Lord.'  Next  day,  the  manuscript 
above  mentioned  was  sent  in,  anonymously.  He  was 
struck  with  its  truth  and  beauty,  and,  convinced  that 
it  was  well  fitted  to  do  good,  he  frequently  made  use 
of  it.  He  had  never  seen  or  used  it  but  in  MS.  It 
had,  however,  afterwards  been  printed,  and  widely 
circulated,  as  one  of  the  series  of  '  Stirling  Tracts.'  The 
authorship  of  it  was  not  known  for  about  five  years. 

In  a  bookseller's  shop,  Mr.  Eobertson  met  a  friend, 
whom  he  noticed  to  be  eagerly  looking  at  this  '  Stirling 
Tract.'  Surprised  to  see  it  in  print,  he  asked  him : 
'  Is  that  new  to  you  ?  Did  I  never  give  you  a  copy 
of  it  ?  ' 

'  It  is  new  to  me  in  this  form,'  replied  the  other. 
'  You  never  gave  me  a  copy,  but  I  sent  you  one.' 

This  friend — the  Eev.  James  Proctor,  who  died 
soon  after — was  much  touched  on  hearing  how  useful 
his  lines  had  been  to  many  ;  and  agreed,  at  Mr. 
Eobertson's  request,  to  write  other  verses,  suitable 
for  those  asking  what  they  '  must  do  to  be  saved.' 
These  were  published,  along  with  the  former,  by 
'  the  Book  Society,'  under  the  title,  '  Man's  Way  and 
God's  Way.' 

What  a  ministry  it  was  for  anxious  inquirers  all 
through,  was  testified  by  the  weekly  opportunities 
announced  for  conversation  on  spiritual  things,  not 
only  in  the  vestry,  at  the  close  of  each  service,  but 
also  at  his  own  house. 


PASTORAL    WORK    AND    HOME    LIFE.  151 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  with  the  tw^o  services  his 
Sabbath  w^ork  only  began.  With  the  gleanings,  to  be 
gathered  in  these  conversations,  of  the  clay's  teaching, 
and  the  sick  to  be  visited,  besides  Sabbath-school 
exercises,  it  was  often  matter  of  wonder  how  his 
not-too-strong  frame  sustained  the  strain  of  ]3rolonged 
and  intensely  engrossing  work,  without  what  others 
would  deem  necessary  intermission  and  support.  But 
the  extent  to  which  he  was  revived  and  encouraged, 
by  evident  tokens  of  blessing  on  his  labours,  was  a 
literal  fulfilment  of  Christ's  own  words  :  '  My  meat  is 
to  do  the  will  of  Him  that  sent  me,  and  to  finish  His 
work.'  As  a  ministerial  friend  already  quoted  said 
after  his  death,  '  I  do  not  know  any  one  who  might 
wdth  less  presumption  appropriate  this  language  of  the 
Master.' 

Often  did  he  reach  home  on  Sabbath,  long  after  the 
public  services  were  over — weary  enough  in  body,  but 
gladdened  and  strengthened  in  spirit,  and  utterly 
oblivious  of  the  need  of  'the  meat  that  perisheth.' 
A  long  evening  was  often  spent,  after  all  this,  in 
conversation  with  those  who  had  come  to  the  house 
seeking  him,  and  who  were  still  dealt  with  indivi- 
dually, and  with  such  patience  as  each  needed  ; 
neither  weariness  nor  anything  else  being  allowed  to 
interfere  with  the  sacred  work. 

Thus  had  he  ever-growing  experience  in  dealing 
wdth  various  minds,  which  suggested  to  him  fresh  ways 
of  putting  '  the  old,  old  story,'  so   as  to   arrest   those 


152  JAMES    ROBERTSON". 

(not  a  few)  to  whom  it  had  become  '  as  a  tale  that 
had  been  told,'  or  those  others  who  had  never  heard 
the  tale  before,  except,  perhaps,  in  some  perverted 
and  unscriptural  form — as  a  gospel  that  was  yet  no 
gospel  to  a  needy  and  helpless  sinner. 

It  was  sometimes  no  small  cause  of  gladness  to 
members  of  his  household  (either  perhaps  from  a 
somewhat  selfish  point  of  view,  or  from  consideration 
for  him)  when  occasionally  these  calls  from  without, 
on  Sabbath  evenings,  were  fewer  than  usual,  and 
when  he  felt  at  leisure  to  sit  with  them,  talking, 
in  his  natural,  genial  way,  of  the  things  that  lay 
always  nearest  his  heart,  or  answering  questions  and 
solving  difficulties,  whilst  rebuking  no  one's  ignorance 
and  hurting  no  one's  feelings. 

An  old  fellow-student,  already  mentioned,  says : — 

'  Of  all  the  ministers  with  whom  I  have  been  acquainted, 
and  whom  I  have  had  the  opportunity  of  particularly  observ- 
ing, I  regard  Mr.  Robertson  as  the  most  successful  in  winning 
souls.  Only  "the  day  shall  declare  it."  Doubtless  he  shall 
then  have  not  a  few  for  "a  crown  of  rejoicing."  From  an 
early  period  of  his  ministry  in  Musselburgh,  he  set  apart  an 
evening  every  week  to  meet  with  those  who  were  anxious 
abovit  their  spiritual  interests.  This  was  continued  in  Edin- 
burgh, alike  in  his  years  of  struggle  and  of  success.  Of  this 
conference  many,  first  and  last,  availed  themselves,  and  found 
that  God  there  met  with  them  and  dispelled  their  darkness. 

'  His  Avas  the  "  still  small  voice,"  Avhose  appeal  is  to  con- 
science and  affection  ;  and  this  speaks  most  powerfully,  and 


PASTORAL   AVORK    AND    HOME    LIFE.  153 

is  best  heard  in  "  the  secret  chamher."  Sechision  is  its  field 
of  action.  There,  teacher  and  taught  are  brought  most  heart 
to  heart,  and  the  whole  personality  of  the  one  acts  Avith 
fullest  force  on  the  whole  personality  of  the  other.' 

This  openness  to  personal  dealing  yielded  rich  fruit 
in  the  experience  and  life  of  one — 

'  A  man  of  science  and  high  talent,  who,  like  all  thought- 
ful men,  had  often  deeply  pondered  the  great  problems 
which  hang  like  a  cloud  over  human  life.  Especially  had  he 
thought  and  read  much  about  the  great  questions  of  sin,  of 
man's  acceptance  with  God,  of  the  possibility  of  atonement, 
and  of  the  restoration  of  the  Divine  image  in  error-stricken 
humanity,  and  had  long  been  seeking  some  rock  on  which  to 
find  sure  footing,  instead  of  the  various  bases  he  had  been 
trying,  only  to  find  them  shifting  sand.'  He  was  led  to 
attend  Mr.  Robertson's  ministry  occasionally,  owing  to  the 
distance  of  his  residence  from  his  own  usual  place  of  wor- 
ship— belonging  to  another  communion. 

'  His  state  of  mind  had  been  intensified  by  the  birth  of  his 
first  child.  The  first  gush  of  a  parental  love,  that  never 
afterwards  ceased  to  flow  out  in  a  bountiful  stream,  had 
thrown  new  light  on  the  tender  relationship  of  the  Divine 
Father  to  His  children,  the  loving-kindness  with  which  He 
regards  them,  and  the  mercies  He  bestows.  This,  and  a 
sense  of  our  pitiable  condition  while  Ave  live  apart  from  it 
all,  made  him  listen  with  deep  interest  to  such  ministrations 
as  he  now  received,  for  they  touched  a  chord  that  vibrated 
in  sympathy  with  the  preacher's  words,  and  Avhich  drew  him 
to  frequent  them  more  and  more  habitually. 

'  The  thought,  moreover,  that    on   his   relations   to    God 


154  JAMES    ROBEETSOK 

depended,  not  only  the  future  of  liis  own  soul,  but  the 
spiritual  welfare  qf  his  beloved  wife  and  infant  child,  added 
to  his  concern. 

'  He  took  advantage  of  Mr.  Robertson's  simple  arrangement 
for  conversation,  to  become  personally  acquainted  with  him, 
and  to  unburden  to  him  his  whole  mind,  and  especially 
to  talk  over  with  him  a  series  of  discourses  Mr.  Robertson 
was  then  delivering  on  Isaiah  liii.  While  listening  to  them 
he  had  got  a  new  view  of  sin,  of  the  Divine  Sin-bearer,  and 
of  the  need  that  the  sinner  should  concur  with  the  plan  for 
his  deliverance.  Docile  and  meek  as  a  little  child,  he  souglit 
to  learn  more  perfectly  his  lesson  in  the  school  of  Christ, 
and  the  "  ambassador  for  Christ,"  faithful  to  his  commission, 
continued  to  declare  Jesus  Christ  and  Him  crucified,  as  the 
way  of  access  to  God,  as  a  propitiation  freely  made,  and  given 
for  the  remission  of  sin,  till  at  last,  one  evening,  as  the 
simj^le  statement  was  being  repeated,  bright  light  broke  out, 
where  only  the  faint  streaks  of  dawn  had  hitherto  appeared. 

'  "  Eternal  love  was  seen  to  be  wedded  to  eternal  law." 

'  "  Mercy  and  truth  met  together  ;  righteousness  and  peace 
kissed  each  other."     "  I  see  it,"  he  said,   "  I  see  it  clearly  ;  " 

quickly  adding,   "  How   I   wish   that   my  M had   been 

with  me  !  " 

'Tears  of  joy  were  followed  by  prayers  of  gratitude. 

'  His  devotedly-attached  wife  accompanied  him  on  his  next 
visit,  when  the  conversation  was  renewed  with  increasing 
interest  and  increasing  light.  Prepared,  by  many  an  earnest 
talk  with  her  husband,  for  the  reception  of  the  truth 
M'liich  had  brought  liglit  into  his  mind,  she  had  fewer 
obstacles  to  oppose  to  it ;  and  henceforth  husband  and  wife 
walked  hand  in  hand  as  declared  servants  of  Christ. 


PASTORAL    WOEK    AND    HOME    LIFE.  155 

'  Fresh  energy  and  new  motives  had  entered  into  their  lives, 
and  their  obedience,  made  no  longer  a  ground  of  merit,  came 
to  be  in  the  glad  and  willing  spirit  of  those  who,  having 
received  much,  love  much,  and  therefore  long  to  serve 
much. 

'  As  Mr.  Robertson  said  of  him,  "  The  channel  of  his  grati- 
tude Avas  deepened  in  proportion  as  he  clearly  saw  that 
nothing  now  needs  to  flow  m  the  channel  of  expiation." 

'  The  friendship  begun  under  such  solemn  and  interest- 
ing circumstances  continued  unbroken  and  undimmed,  with 
constant  interchange  of  service,  till  death. 

'  During  its  course  the  remark  was  made  to  a  relative,  "  If 
I  did  not  value  James  Robertson  as  my  own  pastor,  I  could 
not  help  doing  so  for  the  sake  of  my  children." 

'  He  often  urged  Mr.  Robertson  to  continue  his  practice  of 
reserving  the  Sabbath  evening  for  conversation  with  in- 
quirers, or  others,  and  never  to  mnit  the  announcing  of  it,  as 
he  said  :  "  You  don't  know  how  many  may  be,  as  I  was, 
anxious  to  have  the  advantage  of  individual  dealing  with 
them  about  their  hoj^e  for  eternity."  ' 

During  his  own  holiday  time  Mr.  Eobertson  wrote 
to  a  young  man  who  had  been  seeking  his  counsel : — 

'  INIy  clear  Friend, — It  has  been  matter  of  much  regret  to 
me  that  I  have  been  so  frequently  prevented  from  meeting 
your  wish  for  converse  on  the  great  things  of  the  great 
salvation.  .  ,  .  Anything  whatever  is  a  blessing  that  draws 
or  drives  us  to  Jesus.  The  way  to  God,  by  Him,  is  so 
exactly  suited  to  a  poor  lost  soul — so  suited  to  you  and  me 
— a  way  sprinkled  with  atoning  blood — justice  and  mercy 
forming  such  a  wall  of  defence  on  either  side ;   and  then 


156  JAMES    ROBEETSOK 

the  way  leads  to  sucli  a  rich  Treasure  House,  filled  with  all 
blessings  for  time  and  for  eternity. 

'  Is  there  not  inexpressible  sweetness  in  the  thought  that 
salvation  is  not  of  works,  that  our  full  and  complete  accept- 
ance is  not  in  our  wretched  selves  ?  It  is  all,  all  of  grace. 
It  is  Christ  first,  Christ  last,  Christ  all  through.  The  spot 
wet  with  His  blood  is  the  only  spot  in  the  universe  where 
God  and  the  guilty  can  meet;  but  to  every  one  who  hears 
its  voice,  that  blood  does  speak  of  God  satisfied,  and  satisfied 
by  being  abundantly  glorified.  It  tells  that  Christ's  life 
was  given  for  our  life,  and  that  we  are  warranted  and 
welcomed  to  carry  our  failures  and  misdoings,  all  our  evil 
within  and  fears  without,  all,  all,  at  once  to  Him.  It  is 
our  mighty  privilege  to  open  our  hearts  to  Him  just  as  they 
are,  with  all  their  deadness,  coldness,  blackness — keeping 
nothing  back,  telling  Him  all.  I  hope  your  choicest  seat  is 
at  the  foot  of  His  cross,  I  know  no  other  Refuge — I  need 
no  other,  and  I  know  no  way  of  entering  or  re-entering  that 
Refuge,  but  trust.  Let  us  never  distrust  the  act  of  simple 
trust — trust  in  Him  who  "  cannot  lie." 

'  But  I  do  not  well  know  how  to  speak  to  your  case  till 
you  let  me  understand  what  troubles  you,  and  what  stumbles 
you.   .   .  .' 

It  may  be  remarked  here  that  Mr.  Eobertson  used 
to  lament  the  influence  of  the  holiday  season  on  people 
generally,  through  the  use  they  made  of  it ;  and  was 
specially  anxious  to  guard  his  own  flock  against  its 
temptations.  He  felt  as  if  people  did  not  always 
return  in  autumn,  with  the  same  wholesomeness  of 
spirit    with   which    they    left    home  ;    that,    in    their 


PASTORAL    WORK   AND    HOME    LIFE.  157 

various  j)laces  of  sojourn,  they  sometimes  cast  them- 
selves loose  from  their  usual  restraints,  doing  things 
they  would  not  do  at  home,  and  bringing  back  influ- 
ences of  carelessness,  that  had  a  tendency  to  reduce 
the  atmosphere  in  and  around  them.  It  was  not 
therefore  without  anxiety  and  warning  that  he  parted 
with  his  people  on  such  occasions. 

Another  holiday  letter  to  a  young  friend,  for  whose 
interests  he  was  caring  : — 

'25th  Aug.  1855. 

'  We  must  not  lose  sight  or  sound  of  each  other.  .  .  . 
Two  days  I  was  over  in  Arran.  .  .  That  island  is  quite 
a  picture  gallery  of  natural  beauties,  and  some  precious 
lessons  were  suggested  on  better  things.  One  was  in  con- 
nection with  that  sentiment  of  the  36th  Psaliu :  "  Thy 
righteousness  is  like  the  great  mountains.  Thy  judgments 
are  a  great  deep."  If  our  Father's  dealings  with  us  are  an 
immense  Ocean,  whose  depths  we  have  no  poAver  of  sound- 
ing, on  each  side  of  that  abyss  rise  towering  mountains — 
those  giants  of  the  earth,  with  their  summits  glowing  in 
sunlight. 

'  The  Goatfells  and  their  kindred  are  emblems  of  the 
"Righteousness  of  God" — that  righteousness  within  whose 
embrace  aU  His  dealings  rest,  even  as  the  waters  do  within 
the  circle  of  the  everlasting  hills.  We  are  to  prej^are  our- 
selves for  going  down  into  the  "  great  deep "  of  God's 
"judgments,"  by  planting  our  feet  more  firmly  on  the 
"  great  mountains  "  of  God's  righteousness.  Let  us  dwell 
more  on  what  God  is,  and  then  we  shall  not  be  greatly 
moved  by  anything  that  God  does.     Never  can  we  go  adrift 


158  JAMES   ROBERTSON". 

so  far  from  land,  on  the  dark  waters  of  Providence,  as  not 
to  have  discernible,  by  faith,  some  peak  of  those  "  Hills 
whence  cometh  our  help."  When  we  take  our  stand  on 
the  gospel  character  of  God,  and  regard  it  as  immoveably 
girding  round  the  whole  economy  of  Providence,  then  we 
can  afford  to  cast  our  eye  over  the  vast  heaving  ocean  of 
human  events.  Its  tossings  and  ebbings  need  occasion  us 
no  agonizing  solicitude.  For  however  much  the  waves  may 
be  agitated  and  roaring,  they  cannot  pass  the  bounds  our 
God  has  appointed.  We  may  feel  the  solidity  of  the  rock 
on  which  we  rest,  the  revealed  wisdom  and  love  of  God  in 
Christ,  and  we  hnow  that  this  is  the  same  alike  in  the 
sunshine  and  in  the  storm. 

'  Erroneous  views  of  the  Divine,  character  evidently  lie 
at  the  root  of  our  German  friend's  case.  I  had  a  long  talk 
with  him  in  his  lodgings  that  evening  after  you  left.  When 
I  went  in  he  was  alone,  and  reading  one  of  the  capital  tracts 
you  had  enclosed  in  your  envelope.  We  started  with  it, 
but  it  was  not  long  before  I  drew  out  a  distinct  avowal  of 
his  Socinian  creed,  the  denial  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity 
and  of  the  divinity  of  Jesus ;  and  the  venomous  egg  from 
Avhich  all  his  other  errors  are  hatched  is  his  false  estimate 
of  sin.  Of  course  he  feels  that  he  has  the  best  reason  for 
making  light  of  sin,  that  he  may  give  a  mere  creature 
Saviour  the  less  to  do.  We  were  interrupted  by  a  gentle- 
man coming  in  just  when  we  were  at  the  most  interesting 

point ;  but,  of  his  own  accord,  he  came  down  to next 

(lay  seeking  me.     Unfortunately  I  was  out,  and  to  be  away 

for  some  hours,   but  had  some   conversation,   which 

confirms  my  impression  that  he  still  needs  to  be  aioakentd 
to  linuw  himself .     I  hope  to  find  some  time  when  we  return 


PASTOEAL    WORK    AND    HOME    LIFE.  159 

to  to    resume   our  inquiry.   .  .   .  You  will  wield   the 

sword  of  "All  prayer."  "There  is  none  like  unto  it."  It 
is  bathed  in  heaven.  May  the  glorious  power  of  Christ 
rest  upon  you,  that  from  the  treasures  of  a  heart  enriched 
hy  His  love  an  influence  for  good  may  flow  forth  on  all 
around  you.  ..."  Oh  for  a  closer  walk,"  that  our  whole 
life  may  be  one  Emmaus  journey — happy  in  the  converse 
of  our  risen,  living,  loving  Lord.  Will  you  continue  to  pray 
this  for  me,  as  I  will  try  to  do  for  you  ?  Let  me  have  the 
liappiness  of  hearing  soon  of  all  "the  way  by  which  the 
Lord  has  led  you  "  since  we  parted.' 

Mr.  Eobertson's  Fridays  and  Saturdays  were  always 
a  time  of  close  seclusion  and  hard,  unremitting  labour, 
with  study  door  locked,  and  orders  given  to  the 
servant  not  to  allow  him  to  be  disturbed,  unless  for 
some  reason  of  serious  urgency.  When  he  joined  the 
family  circle  for  a  hurried  meal,  he  came  with  pencil 
and  paper,  to  catch  each  passing  thought,  and  with 
his  mind  full  of  his  subject — throwing  out  suggestive 
hints  of  what  he  was  gathering  for  his  people,  and 
feeding  on  richly  and  joyfully  himself ;  then,  having 
given  enough  to  rouse  a  current  of  devout  thought, 
he  would  be  off — with  a  loving  leave-taking — to  his 
cherished  work  again.  The  days  of  study  were  often 
prolonged  far  into  the  night,  and  the  children  would 
hear  his  study  door  open  after  daybreak,  on  Sabbath 
morning,  for  a  short  period  of  rest,  to  be  followed 
generally  by  return  to  w^ork  at  an  early  hour.  Often, 
through  the  quiet  hours  of  night,  his  voice  would  1)6 


160  JAMES    EOBERTSOX. 

heard  singing  in  his  happy  toil — tlie  breaking  forth 
of  a  joyous  soul  which  could  not  be  repressed. 

One  of  his  domestic  servants  has  precious  memories 
of  the  time  spent  in  his  house.  On  one  occasion, 
when  sitting  up  with  some  of  the  children  who  were 
ill,  she  heard  sounds  coming  from  his  study.  Thinking 
there  might  be  something  wrong,  she  went  to  the  study 
door,  and  she  heard  Mr.  Eobertson  saying :  '  0  Lord, 
the  vjJiolc  congregation  —  may  not  one  of  them  be 
awanting.'  In  the  still  hours  of  the  night,  while  she 
was  watching  the  children  he  was  pleading  for  the 
souls  of  his  people. 

Many  young  people  at  school  in  Edinburgh,  and 
away  from  home,  spent  good  part  of  their  Saturday 
holiday  at  Grange  Cottage — or,  in  later  years,  at  6 
Salisbury  Eoad ;  and  however  pressed  with  his  pulpit 
preparation,  Mr.  Eobertson  usually  found  time  for 
kindly  interest  and  inquiries,  and  sought  to  make 
his  house  feel  as  homelike  as  possible  for  them, 
being  heartily  aided  in  this  by  those  around 
him. 

Their  souls  were  to  be  watched  for  too.  Tnereasinof 
relish  for  things  spiritual  was  marked  with  much  joy, 
and  fed.  Worldly  surroundings  and  iniluences  else- 
where, and  any  evidence  of  yielding  to  them,  were 
mourned  over,  and  counter-attractions  and  influences 
were  offered. 

There  would  be  the  '  good-night '  in  the  study,  or 
elsewhere,  before  leaving,  with  the  parting  '  text,'  and 


PASTOKAL    WORK    AND    HOME    LIFE.  161 

a  few  words  about  it,  that  felt  as  if  they  came  straight 
from  the  '  Lord  of  the  Hill '  Himself,  in  this  inter- 
preter's house  ;  and  then  the  few  words  of  appropriate 
prayer  responsive  to  the  text — uttered  just  as  they 
were,  standing  or  sitting ;  and  the  young  stranger, 
among  strangers,  would  go  away  fortified — determined, 
by  grace,  to  lead  a  better  life,  confirmed  in  every 
better  feeling  and  resolution  by  the  human  hand  that 
came  so  near,  and  that  helped  to  get  a  closer  gi^asp 
of  the  Divine  Hand,  which  so  often  in  youthful 
struggles  and  searchings  seems — only  seems — so  far 
away. 

I)r.  Joseph  Brown  says  : — 

'  In  the  early  part  of  his  ministry,  there  were  few 
preachers  by  whom  the  wants  of  the  children  were  con- 
sidered in  "  the  daily  ministration."  Things  are  greatly 
mended  now,  and  Mr.  Robertson  did  much  to  mend  them. 
He  set  himself,  in  the  exercise  of  a  holy  ingenuity,  to 
devise  means  for  arresting  and  rewarding  the  attention  of 
the  young ;  and  there  are  many  young  men  and  maidens, 
ay,  and  many  fathers  and  mothers,  in  different  parts  of  the 
country,  who  will  testify  that  he  was  the  first  minister  who 
interested,  instructed,  and  impressed  them.  Many  of  our 
ministers — I  hope  most  of  them — recognise,  in  some  form 
or  other,  the  claims  of  the  young  ;  but  Mr.  Robertson 
was  before  them ;  and  as  he  was  before  them  in  point  of 
time,  so  was  he  before  them  in  point  of  efficiency.  He 
stood  confessed  to  tlie  end  as  tlie  inince  of  preachers  to 
children.' 

L 


162  JAMES   ROBERTSON. 

We  quote  an  extract  from  an  appreciative  tribute 
by  the  Eev.  J.  D.  Taylor,  Kilwinning,  son  of  an 
esteemed  elder  in  Mr.  Eobertson's  congregation : — 

'  He  interwove  "  Children's  Portions  "  with  his  ordinary 
discourses,  long  before  the  days  of  special  services  for  the 
young.  He  had  an  almost  unequalled  felicity  in  making 
divine  truth  attractive  to  the  young,  his  addresses  to  them 
being  rich  in  running  illustrations,  and  exuberant  with 
fancy,  abounding  in  those  soft  and  silken  cords  of  image 
and  allegory,  which  little  hands  ever  grasp  with  delight. 
I  can  well  recall  the  first  time  I  ever  heard  him,  now  nearly 
a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  when  he  preached  a  Sabbath 
evening  sermon  to  children  from  tlie  text :  "  Behold  I  stand 
at  the  door  and  knock."  I  have  never  forgotten  with  wdiat 
graphic  and  impressive  power  he  described  those  bolts  and 
bars,  by  Avhich  so  many  keep  the  loving  Saviour  out  of 
their  hearts. 

'  By  putting  two  texts  together,  as  he  often  did,  he  got 
what  he  called  a  stereoscopic  view  of  truth.' 

Some  very  interesting  reminiscences,  of  which  we 
have  gladly  availed  ourselves  in  some  of  the  folio  wing- 
pages,  have  been  kindly  given  by  Mr.  James  Good- 
fellow,  the  nmcli- respected  Home  Missionary  of  the 
congregation,  who  had  many  opportunities  of  accom- 
panying, and  specially  observing  Mr.  Eobertson  in  his 
work.     He  says  : — 

'  Preaching  in  Duncan  Street  Church  once  from  the  text, 
They  shall  revive  as  the  corn,  and  grow  as  the  vine,"  Mr. 


PASTORAL   WORK    AND    HOME    LIFE.  163 

Robertson  asked  the  children  if  ever  they  had  seen  a  vine. 
Then  he  invited  any  of  them  who  had  not  to  come  over  to 
his  house  on  the  morrow,  and  he  would  show  them  one. 
On  Monday  morning  the  bell  rang,  and  a  crowd  of  child- 
ren were  at  the  door — they  had  come  to  see  the  vine.  Mr. 
Robertson  took  them  in  his  own  happy  way  and  showed  them 
it,  and  preached  a  little  sermon  to  them,  taking  their  faith 
in  his  word  as  an  illustration  of  the  way  in  which  they 
were  to  trust  Christ's  word.  The  children  went  away ;  but 
in  a  little  while  another  group  came,  and  they  too  had  their 
wish  gratified,  and  were  pointed  to  the  True  Yine.  That 
jNfonday's  sermon  to  the  young  proved  a  memorable  one  to 
some  of  them.' 

On  another  occasion  he  at  once  secured  the  atten- 
tion of  a  large  audience  of  children  and  teachers  by 
the  following  introduction  : — 

'As  I  was  coming  along  in  the  train  yesterday  there  were 
three  men  in  the  carriage  iDeside  me.  I  knew  one  of  them 
to  be  a  farmer  from  his  appearance  and  conversation ;  I 
knew  the  second  to  be  a  miller  in  the  same  way ;  and  the 
third  I  knew  to  be  a  fisher,  from  the  line  and  hooks  that 
were  wound  round  his  hat.  I  have  come  to  you  to-day  as 
a  fisher,  and  when  I  throw  out  my  gospel  line,  do  not  be 
afraid  to  lay  hold  on  the  beautiful  hook  (my  text),  for  I  come, 
not  to  injure  you,  but  to  draw  you  out  of  the  muddy  stream 
of  sin  into  the  pure  water  of  life  ; '  and  so  he  cast  his  line 
in  his  own  inimitable  way. 

During  those  Duncan  Street  days  a  happy  tend  of 
little  ones  was  gathering  round   Mr.  Robertson's  own 


1G4  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

table.     We  have  a  glimpse  of  them  in  the  following 
letter  to  a  sister  : — 

' .  .  .  Mamma  is  at  present  doAvn-stairs  in  the  midst  of 
her  wee  lassies.  You  would  know  them  getting  bigger  and 
wiser.  .  .  . 

'  If  you  were  here  you  would  see  ]\Iary  put  her  spoon  into 
the  sugar,  and,  taking  a  great  mouthful,  say  to  her  mother, 
"  Will  you  forgive  me  this  time  yet,  mamma  ?  "  Something 
had  fallen  Avhich  Mary  did  not  much  care  to  lift  when 
*'  Mamma  "  was  bidding  her  do  it.  "  0  mamma,"  she  says, 
"  I  think  it  won't  lift.     It's  surely  sticking  to  the  ground." 

'  Her  mamma  was  telling  her  the  other  day  what  a  wicked 
world  this  was,  and  the  happy  home  heaven  would  be,  when 
she  replied  in  her  quick  way,  "  Why  do  you  stay  here  then? 
Let  us  go  home  to  heaven — just  let  us  go  to-day  ! "  The 
dear  lassies,  they  are  brimful  of  life  and  happiness.  .  .  .' 

'  Mr.  Eobertson '  (says  Mr.  Young)  '  was  a  great  favourite 
with  the  young  people  of  the  congregation,  and  in  the 
households  Avhere  he  was  wont  to  visit.  He  delighted  in 
their  company,  and  was  very  successful  in  drawing  them 
out  to  talk  with  him,  and  in  interesting  them  by  his  own 
conversation.  Our  children's  soirees  and  Sabbath  -  school 
excursions  he  enjoyed  quite  as  much  as  any  of  the  children, 
o-iving  pleasure  to  all  around,  while  he  received  from 
them  an  abundant  measure  of  it  for  himself.  His  fund 
of  anecdote  and  illustration  seemed  inexhaustible,  and  he 
poured  out  "  things  new  and  old,"  in  lavish  profusion,  for 
his  eao-er  young  listeners.  Riddles  and  conundrums  Avere 
in  great  favour  with  him,  and  he  had  a  plentiful  stock  of 


PASTORAL    WOEK    AND    HOME    LIFE.  165 

tlieiii,  so  that  he  could  keep  a  merry  band  beside  him,  in 
alternating  puzzle  and  laughter,  with  his  guesses,  and 
t'nigmas,  and  strange  plays  upon  words.  He  used  to  say 
he  studied  best  on  the  Saturday  evening  if  there  was  a 
gathering  of  young  people  at  his  house,  and  he  could  hear, 
in  his  study,  the  echo  of  gladsome  song  and  merry  play 
from  the  drawing-room.  Certainly,  on  such  occasions,  his 
youthful  visitors  were  in  no  doubt  as  to  his  desire  for 
their  full  enjoyment  of  the  evening's  happy  diversions,  and 
gladly  welcomed  his  participation  in  their  pleasure,  if  for 
a  few  minutes  he  was  drawn  from  his  study  to  join  the 
company. 

*  Many  a  boy  or  girl  has  left  his  presence,  pondering  over 
some  quaint  question  put  by  him,  or  some  puzzling  enigma ; 
and  I  have  seen  children  run  up  to  him  in  the  street,  to  tell 
him  the  answer  to  some  conundrum  he  had  dropped,  on  his 
last  visitation  to  their  home.  In  this  Avay  he  made  many 
an  opportunity  for  instilling  a  wholesome  lesson,  or  awakening 
a  serious  thought,  and  he  was  skilled  in  using  such  oppor- 
tunities to  good  purpose.' 

Another  friend  tells  how,  one  day  in  Glasgow,  a 
little  hand  was  felt  gently  pulling  his  coat  from 
behind,  and  how,  on   his  turning  round,  a  little  voice 

timidly  said :  '  Please,  sir,  the  clock   has  ticked 

times  since  I  was  born ' — mentioning  the  number. 

A  friend  above  quoted  says  : — 

'  His  household  visits  were  like  gleams  of  sunshine ;  in  the 
home  he  was  the  children's  friend.  Visiting  a  family  of  his 
flock  one  day,  he  was  at  once  surrounded  by  the  children. 


166  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

He  took  one  of  them,  a  little  boy,  upon  liis  knee,  and  asked 
him  what  he  was  going  to  loe  when  he  grew  up.  Then  he 
asked  him  Avhat  his  brother  James  Avas  going  to  be.  The 
boy  answered,  "  Oh  !  I  think  James  wants  to  be  nothing." 
"  Well,"  said  Mr.  Kobertson,  "  let  us  all  be  like  James, 
nothing.  '  Oh  to  be  nothing,  nothing,' — emptied  of  self  and 
full  of  Christ."  His  words  are  still  fresh  on  the  boy's 
memory.  Calling  on  another  occasion,  and  finding  that  the 
father  was  ill  and  in  bed,  he  sent  this  message  to  him  by  one 
of  the  children,  and,  in  order  to  fix  it  on  the  child's  memory, 
he  gave  a  word  for  each  finger :  "  All  .  is  .  yours  .  but  . 
yourself."  Adding  to  the  boy,  "  Eemember  !  all  the  fingers 
his  but  the  thiimb." ' 

He  gave  the  same  thought  as  a  puzzle  to  other  two 
young  people,  who  remember  it  with  much  interest. 
He  was  driving  with  them  a  short  distance  after  a 
meeting  of  the  last  Synod  he  attended,  when  he  said 
before  parting  :  '  Now,  children,  I  am  going  to  give  you 
a  riddle  to  find  out  for  me.  All  things  belong  to  you 
except  one  thing ;  what  is  that  ? '  They  thought  over 
it  for  some  days,  and  then  found  that  they  had  hit  on 
the  right  answer :  '  All  things  are  yours  .  .  .  and  yc 
are  Christ's  '  (1  Cor.  iii.  21,  23). 

As  he  was  j)assing  along  one  day  witli  some  flowers 
in  his  hand,  a  message-boy  asked  him  for  one  for  his 
jacket.  Mr.  Eobertson  gave  him  one,  and  the  boy  put 
it  in  his  button-hole.  Mr.  Eobertson  said  :  '  Now  I  have 
another  flower  for  your  heart :  "  Create  in  me  a  clean 
heart,  0  God."     Have  you  got  hold  of  it  ?     Can  you 


PASTORAL    WOEK    AXD    HOME    LIFE.  1G7 

repeat  it  ? '  The  boy  repeated  it.  '  Well,'  said  Mr. 
Eobertson, '  put  it  in  your  heart ;  you  put  the  other  in 
your  jacket.'  The  boy  looked  puzzled,  and  said,  '  How 
do  I  do  it  ? '  Mr.  Eobertson  said,  '  You  joray  it.  You 
ask  God  to  do  it.  Do  you  think  you  need  a  clean 
heart  ? '  The  boy  said,  '  Yes.'  '  Do  you  desire  a  clean 
heart  ? '  '  Yes.'  '  You  want  all  the  sin  washed  out 
of  it  ? '  '  Yes.'  '  Then  just  ask  Jesus  to  do  it.  Do 
not  carry  your  sinful  heart  any  longer.  He  wants  it 
now  to  make  it  clean.' 

'  I  did  not  give  you  a  withered  flower.  So  you 
must  not  keep  your  heart  until  it  is  all  withered  and 
hardened  by  sin,  and  then  take  it  to  Jesus.  .  .  .  Have 
you  put  the  flower  in  your  heart  now  ? '  The  boy 
answered,  '  I  think  so,'  and  went  away  looking  at  the 
flower  in  his  button-hole  and  then  back  at  Mr.  Robert- 
son as  long  as  he  could  see  him. 

Speaking  to  his  Bible-class  on  one  occasion  on  the 
subtle  temptations  of  Satan,  he  said,  '  He  is  bad  every 
way  you  take  him — his  very  name,  for  instance. 
Take  away  the  d  and  he  is  evil,  transpose  the  e  and 
he  is  vile,  take  away  e  and  v  and  he  is  il — an  il,  vile, 
evil  devil ! ' 

Next  to  the  children  the  mothers  had  a  warm  and 
sympathetic  place  in  Mr.  Robertson's  heart. 

At  a  Conference  held  in  Moffat,  not  very  long  before 
his  death,  those  who  saw  and  heard  him  (we  are  told) 
can  never  forget  the  light  that  shone  in  his  face,  and 
the   wonderful   spirituality   that   breathed  in    all    his 


168  JAMES  ROBERTSON. 

utterances.  In  addressing  the  children,  he  told  them 
of  two  boys  who  were  talking  together  about  the 
Pilgrims  Progress.  The  one  said  to  the  other  that  he 
liked  Christian  very  much.  The  other  said  that  he 
liked  Christiana  Ijetter,  for  while  Christian  went  alone, 
Christiana  took  all  her  children  with  her.  Then, 
looking  down  upon  the  mothers  who  were  present,  Mr. 
llobertson  said,  '  The  Lord  bless  you,  Christianas  ! ' 

Visiting  a  home  once  in  which  there  were  a  number 
of  children,  he  found  the  mother  careworn  and  weary. 
His  remark  was  :  '  What  a  number  of  errands  you  will 
be  having  to  the  Throne  ! '  The  friend  who  tells  this 
adds  that  the  saying  has  been  often  repeated  by  her  to 
anxious  mothers  since. 


CHAPTEE    X. 

Cloutj  anti  Sunsl^ine. 
1855 — 

Though  Mr.  Eobertson  had  gathered  a  new  and  loving- 
home  circle  round  himself,  there  was  no  change  or 
loosening  in  his  clinging  to  his  old  home.  He  wrote 
to  a  sister  : — 

'  .  .  .  Do  you  really  look  for  me  on  Tuesday  next?  I 
■wish  I  could,  but  must  conteut  myself  with  a  meutal  trip, 
an  aerial  ramble.  I  am  many,  many  a  time  beside  you 
in  spirit.  Greenliill  will  always  be  home  to  my  heart. 
But  "  far  better "  still  will  it  be  when  we  bid  every  such 
home  a  final  adieu,  and  close  our  eyes  on  earth  for  ever, 
to  find  our  home  with  Him  who  says,  "I  go  to  prepare 
a  place  for  you,  and  I  will  come  again  and  receive  you  to 
Myself."  .   .  . 

'.  .  .  I  never  have  time  to  write  a  letter  except  in  the  most 
hurried  manner  at  this  season  of  the  year  [Nov.].  It  is  Avell 
for  us  to  remember  that  we  are  not  our  own.  If  we  are 
disposed  to  forget  it,  the  Lord  keeps  us  in  mind  of  it.  What 
nests  we  would  build  to  ourselves  if  we  were  left  to  our  own 


170  JAMES    EOBERTSOx\. 

disposal !  But  there  is  a  gentle,  guiding,  holy,  loving  Eye 
upon  us  when  we  know  it  not.  My  dear  sister,  what  has 
not  sovereign  grace  done  for  us  ! ' 

Again  to  the  same  : — 

'  .  .  .  You  surely  hold  me  to  be  a  privileged  man,  in 
respect  of  correspondence,  else  you  might  well  disown  me. 
Thanks  for  yours,  which  relieved  us  of  all  our  fears  that 
"William  had  broken  his  leg  or  his  head  somewhere  near 
Coii'lairs  !  [referring  to  a  recent  railway  accident]. 

'Did  you  ever  meet  any  of  the  L.'s  of  F.  when  you  were 
here  ?  I  spent  a  day  or  two  with  them  lately,  and  I  never 
saw  a  family  so  like  our  own  Greenhill  one.  Tlie  coincidences 
would  divert  you  when  I  have  time  to  tell  you  of  them.  .  , 
The  very  candlesticks  at  which  the  girls  sew  beside  their 
mother  in  the  winter  evenings  seem  duplicates  of  yours.  And 
their  eldest  brother  comes  in  about  8  o'clock,  throws  him- 
self back  in  the  arm-chair,  and  reads  them  the  newspapers 
and  the  magazines  !  Then  the  house,  the  rooms,  the  piano, 
the  very  gig  that  takes  them  to  church,  the  calm  presiding 
wisdom  of  their  mother,  are  SilmQ^t  facsimiles.  But  she  is 
a  widow,  and  they  are  fatherless  !  Blessed  be  God  that  ive 
are  yet  permitted  to  look  up  in  the  faces  of  the  dear  guides 
of  our  youth.' 

Towards  the  close  of  1855  (7tli  December),  death, 
however,  again  entered  the  Greenhill  circle,  and  re- 
moved the  loved  and  gentle  mother.  The  days  being 
evidently  at  hand  when  she  must  die,  Mr.  Eobertson 
wrote  to  the  watchers  at  home  : — 


CLOUD    AXD    SUNSHINE.  171 

'  Nov.  30,  1855. 

'My  very  clear  Sisters, — I  am  trying  to  work  away  at 
sermons  for  Sabbath,  but  you  can  believe  that  my  heart  is 
most  Avith  you.  I  wish  the  subjects  that  have  come  in 
course  had  been  more  in  harmony  with  my  feelings.  I 
should  have  liked  to  preach  to  myself,  from  some  such  words 
as  these  :  "  Now  is  my  soul  troixbled,  and  what  shall  I  say  1 
Father,  save  me  from  this  hour?  .  .  .  Father,  glorify  Thy 
name ;  "  or,  "  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from 
me :  nevertheless,  not^  my  Avill,  but  Thine  be  done."  He 
recognised  what  befell  Him  as  the  appointment  of  a  Father's 
will,  and  dealt  out  to  Him  by  a  Father's  hand;  therefore 
did  he  cheerfully  submit  to  God's  will,  and  glorify  God's 
name  by  such  endurance. 

'  Yes,  it  is  a  Father's  Avill,  who  knows  our  frame,  who 
knows  also,  and  has  appointed  everything  that  is  occurring 
to  us,  and  is  not  this  blessed  remembrance  the  sweetest 
balm  to  our  spirits?  Love  comes  to  our  relief.  The  cup  is 
bitter,  but  we  love  Him  who  administers  it,  and  love  takes 
the  bitterness  away.  Oiir  Father's  will  occasions  no  pain 
in  heaven.  It  cannot,  then,  occasion  needless  pain  on 
earth  ;  for  it  is  the  Avill  of  the  same  God.  Blessed  be  His 
name  for  the  consolation  !  Without  it,  what  should  we  be  ? 
With  it,  all  is  easy.  Resignation  almost  ceases  to  be  an 
effort.  It  becomes  as  "  meat  "  and  "  drink  "  to  know,  obey, 
and  submit  to  His  will  in  all  things. 

'  May  you  and  I  enter  more  into  fellowship  with 
Jesus  in  saying,  "I  dehght  to  do  Thy  will!"  What 
depths  of  untold  sorrow  the  doing  of  that  will  led  Him. 
into;  —  yet   He  delighted    in    it,   whilst    His  human  heart 


172  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

felt  tlie   sorrow   in  all  its  anguish.     I  tliiuk  on   Ganibold's 

words : — 

'  "  Who  can  help  praymg  now  ? 
My  soul  is  on  the  stretch,  and  busy  with  liis  God, 
About  some  big  request  I  cannot  utter." 

'  But  He  knows  all  the  nieaning  of  these  "  unutterable 
groanings,"  which  impotent  sympathy  wrings  from  the 
burdened  heart.  Let  us  not  "  fear  as  we  enter  into  the 
cloud."     In  that  cloud  we  shall  see  His  glory. 

'  I  write  these  hurried  lines,  that,  in  your  hearts  and  my 
own,  the  spirit  of  praise  may  be  stirred  up  amid  our  heavi- 
ness, and  that  we  may  "  follow  on,"  as  David  did,  to  make 
"  the  shadow  of  His  wings  our  refuge,  till  these  calamities 
be  overpast." 

'  You  will  be  dropping  little  gospel  texts  into  our  beloved 
mother's  ear.  May  the  joy  of  the  Lord  strengthen  her  in  the 
hour  of  nature's  weakness.  .  .  .  Our  separation,  in  presence 
only,  draws  us  nearer  in  heart;  and  the  want  of  opportunity 
of  speaking  to  each  other  will  lead  us  the  oftener  to  speak 
of  each  other  to  Him  who  ht-afeth  prayer.  Commending 
you,  with  warmest  affection,  to  the  unquenchable  love  and 
faithfulness  of  the  Friend  who  loveth  at  all  times,  but  in 
adversity  becometh  a  "  Brother," — I  am,  your  ever  attached 
brother,  James.' 

Another  stroke  followed  soon  after,  about  which  he 
thus  writes  : — 

'Feb.  16,  1856. 

' "  Our  Beloved  is  come  down  into  His  garden  to  gather 
lilies."  And  this  morning  He  has  gathered  home  our 
beautiful,  bounding  boy,  Alexander.     Dear  precious  lamb ! 


CLOUD    AXD    SUNSHINE.  173 

he  has  "  come  out  of  great  tribulation."  There  was  sore 
sufiering  for  the  last  two  days.  It  had  its  origin  in  teething, 
and  in  some  sympathetic  affection  of  the  head.  Our  inmost 
hearts  are  bleeding.  In  this  first  freshness  of  our  sorrow, 
we  sometimes  feel  almot^t  as  if  there  were  no  stepping-stones, 
on  which  to  pass  through  these  deep  waters.  Our  God  lets 
us  feel  that  we  are  beyond  our  depth,  just  that  His  own 
hand  may  be  our  ouhj  staij.  .  .  .  Our  darling  was  one  of 
the  very  sweetest  cords  of  love  let  down  from  heaven  to 
fasten  round  our  hearts,  and  draw  them  up  with  him  where 

he  is  gone.     Where  can  we  rest  but  where  Jesus  reigns  ! 

Every    pulsation    of    the    bereaved    heart    echoes    the    cry, 

"How  long?" 

'  In  spite  of  all  the  agony  the  dear  child  passed  through, 

his  exquisite  placidity  and  sweetness  of  disposition  remain 

on  the  countenance. 

'  In  the  blessed  hope  of  the  restoration  of  the  treasure,  we 

intend  to  lay  the  beautiful  wee  body  in  its  narrow  bed  on 

"Wednesday.  .   .  .' 

What  was  to  Mr.  Eobertson  another  true  bereave- 
meut  occurred  not  long  after  this,  in  the  interrup- 
tion, by  death,  of  a  friendship  that  ran  its  earthly 
course  in  a  few  years  of  highly-prized  fellowship, — 
a  fellowship  which  had  its  root  in  closest  spiritual 
sympathy,  and  influenced  the  personal  and  ministerial 
life  of  botli. 

Both  as  to  the  inmost  circle  of  intimacy,  and  the 
Church  at  large,  it  was  a  loss  such  as  Mr.  Eobertson 
mourned  with  no  light  grief.  Fellow-soldiers,  who 
were  truly  fighting  the  battles  of  the  Lord,  could  ill 


174  JAMES  ROBERTSON. 

l)e  spared,  when  all,  and  more  than  all,  seemed  to  he 
needed. 

We  refer  to  the  Eev.  John  Maclaren,  who,  during 
a  few  years'  ministry  in  Glasgow,  had  heen  doing  a 
fundamental  work  of  no  common  kind,  nnder  the 
great  Master  Builder,  and  of  whose  short  but 
powerful  and  fruitful  life  an  interesting  record  was 
written,  at  the  time  of  his  death.^ 

From  Mr.  Robertson's  letters  to  Mr.  Maclaren,  we 

extract  the  following  : — 

'Aug.  1853. 

' .  .  .  There  is  something  surpassingly  sweet  in  the 
thought  that,  through  wondrous  grace,  we  liope  to  be  to- 
gether evermore.  Let  us  seek  to  have  more  realizing  views 
of  heaven  every  day — that  it  is  near — and  that  it  is  ours 
through  Jesus.  Oh  that  our  souls  were  full  of  Ilim, — our 
ministry,  our  life,  our  all  unreservedly  His.  I  am  more 
and  more  convinced  that  we  can  only  speed  well  as  ministers 
in  the  exact  degree  in  which  we  prosper  in  our  own  souls, 
as  close  walkers  Avith  God. 

'  Your  present  perplexities  are  much  on  our  hearts.  The 
"Good  Spirit"  Himself  be  your  guide.  May  our  Father 
help  us  to  view  His  hand  in  the  smallest  circumstances  of 
every  case.  You  knoAv  these  lines?  I  have  often  felt 
them  very  cheering — 

*  "With  peaceful  mind  thy  coiu'se  of  duty  run, 
God  nothing  does,  nor  suffers  to  be  done. 
But  what  thou  wouhl'st  thyself,  if  thou  could'st  see 
Through  all  events  of  things  as  well  as  He. "  ' 

1  Memoir  of  the  Rei\  John  Maclaren,  by  the  Rev,  Peter  Leys, 
Strathavea'. 


CLOUD    AND    SUNSHINE.  175 

Mr.  Maclaren  had  declined  several  calls  to  settled 
and  prosperous  churches,  in  order  that  he  might 
devote  himself  to  the  labour  of  gathering  in  a  con- 
gregation from  among  the  poor  people  of  the  Cow- 
caddens  in  Glasgow,  where  he  began  his  work  in 
a  humble  mechanics'  hall.  ]\Ir.  Eobertson  wrote  to 
him  at  this  time  as  follows  : — 

'IGth  Sept.  1853. 
' .  .  .  I  read  your  decision  this  morning  with  deepest 
interest.  I  enter  into  the  very  joy  of  your  relief  at  the 
throne  of  grace,  and  give  thanks  with  you,  and  for  you  ;  and 
with  my  very  soul,  dear  brother,  I  commend  you  and  your 
Avork  into  the  tender  hands  and  holy  keeping  of  our  gracious 
Father,  who  has  guided,  overruled,  appointed  all.  You  go 
to  till  the  wilderness  for  One  who  never  sutfered  any  true 
labourer  to  lose  in  any  way.  "  God  speed  the  plough  "  of 
His  precious  gospel,  which  shall  turn  even  the  wilderness 
into  a  "fruitful  field."  "  My  word  shall  prosper."  Is  not 
til  is  warrant,  sure  warrant  for  hopeful,  expecting  prayer, 
without  hesitation,  mistrust,  or  misgiving  of  any  sort  ? 
"Be  strong,  yea,  be  strong."  ...  In  the  fulness  of  the 
])lessing  of  the  gospel  may  God  send  you  forth.   .  .  .' 

Writing  shortly  before  Mr.  Maclaren's  death,  he 
says : — 

'  Nev/ington,  3rd  June  1859. 
'  My  heart  is  ever  with  you,  and  cannot  cease  to  com- 
mend you  to   "  our  Father,  Avho   hath  loved  us,  and  given 
us  everlasting  consolation  and  good  hope   through  grace  ; " 
and    what   a   goodly  heritage   these    define !    From   whose 


176  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

heart  could  it  come  but  our  Father's  1  and  what  a  position 
of  safety,  and  joy,  and  hope  is  theirs,  who  know  whom 
they  are  trusting !  "  His  Avork  is  perfect."  His  doings 
in  grace  are  so,  and  His  doings  in  providence  no  less  so. 
His  way  is  in  the  sea  ;  but  His  Avay  is  also  in  the  sanc- 
tuary, Avhere  the  rent  veil  discloses  the  blood -sjjrinkled 
mercy-seat.  Whatever  may  be  in  your  cup,  there  is  new 
covenant  love  at  the  bottom  of  it.  How  reposeful  and 
blissful  a  state  when  the  soul  is  brought  to  this  :  "  Thou 
shalt  guide  me."  I  know  not  what  lies  before  me.  My 
jjath  may  be  dark  and  perplexing ;  steep  hills  may  be  in  it, 
and  slippery  descents,  but  "  Thou  Lord  shalt  guide  lyw." 
I  have  put  my  hand  in  Thine,  the  very  Hand  that  was 
nailed  to  the  cross  for  me,  and  wlio  shall  be  able  to  pluck 
me  out  of  it?  "Thou  shalt  guide  me,"  and  ^^  aftericard" — - 
it  may  be  after  some  more  discoveries  of  my  own  nothing- 
ness,— no  matter — if,  "  aftenoard  Thou  ^haJt  receive  me  to 
glory." 

'  I  have  often  remembered  the  night  when  you  and  T  first 
read  the  case  of  the  man  who  said  : — 

'  "  I'm  a  poor  si)iner  and  nothiiif;  at  all, 
But  Jesus  Christ  is  ray  all  in  all." 

'It  came  vividly  before  me  the  other  evening,  when  a 
simple-hearted  old  disciple  said  to  me,  "I  do  not  know 
what  is  to  come  out  of  this  illness  of  mine.  But  it  does  not 
matter ;  for  Jesus  has  taken  the  whole  concern  into  His  own 
hand,  and  I've  given  my  cordial  consent  to  that — my  cordial 
consent — and  His  word  was  never  broken  yet — never  yet  !  " 

'  Many  are  the  praying  hearts,  my  beloved  friend,  that  are 
constantly  commending  you  to  the  Shepherd  of  the  sheep. 


CLOUD    AND    SUNSHINE.  177 

whose  eye  is  bent  upon  you  night  and  day.  Blessed  Jesus  ! 
we  shall  see  Him  soon.  The  King  in  His  beauty.  You 
will  see  the  thorn  marks  in  His  brow,  of  wdiich  you  spoke 
when  you  last  assisted  here.  Present  troubles  and  conflicts 
will  be  as  a  shadow  that  has  passed  away,  and,  in  the 
meantime,  you  will  lose  the  sense  of  these,  in  the  abundance 
of  His  strong  consolation. 

'May  you  and  your  dear  mother  and  wife  be  cheered, 
moment  by  moment,  as  by  sunshine  from  the  face  of  God.' 

Mr.  Robertson  wrote  to  the  late  Mr.  John  Colville, 
a  man  of  truly  Nathanael-like  spirit,  who  had  been 
taking  a  brother's  place  in  the  sick  chamber  : — 

'Xewington,  10th  June  1859. 

'.  .  .  My  heart  is  ever  with  you,  as  you  watch  the  ebbing 
earthly  life  of  one  so  dear.  Over  his  real  life  in  Jesus 
death  has  no  power  at  all.  He  has  nothing  to  do  with 
death  but  to  triumph  over  it.  You  will  be  realizing  heaven 
as  very  near,  with  its  peace,  its  rest,  its  love,  its  joy.  We 
are  meeting  you  in  spirit  at  the  throne,  while  committing  our 
beloved  brother  to  the  faithful,  tender,  watchful  Shepherd, 
who  Himself  comes  to  earth's  dark  shore,  to  carry  him  across, 
to  carry  him  home. 

'  Our  gracious  covenant-God  will  strengthen  and  console 
his  dear  wife  and  mother.  They  will  expect  the  help  they 
need,  wlien  natural  feelings  are  working  mightily  within 
them,  and  these  are  not  wrong,  for  "  Jesus  wejot."  .  .  .' 

'  16th  June  1859. 
'.   .   .   "  It  is  I,  be  not  afraid."     Jesus  deemed  it  sufficient 
to  put  all  fear  to  flight,  to  let  them  know  that  He  was  iherc. 

M 


178  .   JAMES   ROBERTSON. 

Is  not  that  A'oice  of  our  BeloA^ecl  very  sweet  to  j'oii,  as  He 
Avalks  with  you  now  on  the  waters  1  It  is  the  same  voice 
that  cried  of  old  in  the  ears  of  Israel,  "  I,  even  I,  am  He." 
We  have  been  bearing  on  onr  hearts  in  the  congregation,  and 
in  our  meetings,  our  precious  friend,  who  is  awaiting  the  hour 
of  his  departure.  For  the  exceeding  strength  and  comfort 
of  God's  rich  grace  granted  him,  many  thanksgivings  were 
offered.  Tlie  dying  day  is  one  of  those  for  which  his 
strength  is  "  accordingly  "  ensured.  His  Forerunner  will 
he  in  sight.  He  Avill  set  his  foot  only  in  the  warm  prints 
of  the  feet  of  Jesus.  He  will  "  see  Jesus  standing  on  the 
right  hand  of  God."  You  cannot  too  tenderly  remember 
us  to  him,  Avith  a  heart  full  of  affection,  and  the  earnest 
desire  that  "an  entrance  may  ,be  ministered  to  him 
abundantly."  .  .•  .' 

'.  .  .  There  is  an  atmosphere  of  special  blessing  in  the 
school  of  trial ; — to  use  the  words  of  a  Christian  friend  :  "  It 
is  a  finishing  school."  Jesus  was  perfect  through  suffer- 
ing, and  so  shall  we !  The  means  may  be  costly,  but  they 
are  well  worth  the  pains. 

'.  .  .  That  same  boundless  love  which  led  our  blessed 
Lord  to  Calvary,  leads  Him  still  to  carry  us,  with  all  our 
cares,  in  His  bosom.  In  the  openings  of  our  hearts  to  Him, 
and  the  opening  of  His  heart  to  us,  in  giving  us  answers  of 
peace,  quieting  our  anxieties  in  all  the  emergencies  of  life — 
in  that  lie  some  of  the  highest  blessednesses  on  this  side 
heaven.' 

To  the  same,  when  the  end  came  : — 


CLOUD    AND    SUNSHINE.  179 

'21st  June  1859. 

*  "  Now  he  is  comforted." 
'  "  Present  with  the  Lord." 
'  "  With  me  where  I  am." 

'"God  has  Aviped  away  all  tears  from  his  eyes."  And 
yet  our  eyes  overflow.  I  have  wept  my  fill  since  j^our 
telegram  came,  dear  brother.  And  did  not  He  who  has 
taken  np  to  heaven  a  human  heart — our  compassionate  High 
Priest  —  become  our  fellow  -  mourner,  by  weeping  for  the 
dead !  Oh  that  He  may  apply  His  own  balm  to  the  wounds 
of  sorely-bereaved  ones. 

'  She  that  is  a  "  widow  indeed  "  Avill  be  trusting  in  God, 
and  finding  that  to  be  a  new  text  to  her,  "  Thy  Maker  is 
thy  husband  " — the  undying  One.  And  the  deeply-smitten 
mother  will  be  understanding,  as  she  never  did  before,  tlu; 
heart  of  Jesus  at  the  gate  of  Nain.  We  are  praying  that 
the  smile  of  the  Saviour  may  be  with  you  all,  and  the 
breathing  of  the  Comforter. 

'  Though  such  precious,  precious  hopes  are  withered,  the 
never- failing  word  remaineth,  "  I)i  Me  ye  shall  have  peace." 
With  overflowing  love  and  sympathy  to  the  sorrowing  circle, 
ever  your  attached  friend,  J.  R.' 

Again  to  the  same  : — 

'Irvine,  19th  July  1859. 

' .  .  .  On  our  way  here,  we  visited  our  precious  friend's 

grave ;  and  close  by  it,  John  caught  a  little  bird  that  had 

escaped  from   a  cage.     It  reminded  me  of  Ralph  Erskine's 

lines  : — 

'  "  Death  is  to  \\m\  a  sweet  repose, 
The  bud  is  ope'd  to  show  the  rose, 
The  cage  is  broke  to  let  him  fly, 
And  build  his  happy  nest  on  high." 


180  JAMES    EOBERTSON. 

'.  .  .  But  alas  for  ourselves!  that  the ^//ohv;;- of  the  grass 
soonest  withers.     Hoav  are  the  mighf>j  fallen  ! ' 

With  reference  to  him  along  with  one  or  two  others 
in  the  coterie  of  friends,  Mrs.  Maclaren  wrote,  after 
Mr.  Eobertson's  death,  to  a  member  of  his  family : — 

'  How  that  little  circle  of  Christian  brothers  loved,  and 
delighted  in  one  another !  I  cannot  think  that  the  inter- 
course so  cherished  on  earth  is  ended  for  ever  !  No  ;  "  We 
live  together  with  Him,"  and  shall  renew  it  where  the  Lamb 
is  the  centre. 

'  I  recollect  of  saying  to  Mr.  Rol)ertson,  that  I  had  never 
seen  that  it  was  best,  in  any  respect,  that  my  dear  husband 
had  been  taken  away,  but  I  knew  that  it  must  be  so ;  when 
he  quickly  said,  "Ah,  it  wouldn't  he  faith  to  you  and  me,  if 
we  could  see." 

'  The  beauty  of  Mr.  Robertson's  Christianity  made  me  feel 
his  most  ordinary  actions  and  conversation  noteworthy,  and 
all  that  I  ever  saw  or  heard  of  him  greatly  interested  me, 
and  was  pondered  over ; — but  somehow  the  impressions  won't 
submit  to  be  transcribed.  Long  before  I  saw  him,  I  remem- 
ber hearing  Dr.  Heugh  speak  of  him  with  great  admiration 
and  love ;  and  all  that  I  heard  of  his  singular  piety,  and 
ardour  in  winning  souls,  led  me  to  think  of  him  as  less 
human  than  he  really  was.  But  when  I  met  him  for  the 
lirst  time,  his  exquisite  human  sympathies,  elevated  and 
controlled  as  they  were  by  divine  grace,  at  once  struck  and 
won  me. 

'  I  never  saw  his  adroitness,  in  saying  suitable  things  to 
those  who  would  fain  have  escaped  from  them,  equalled. 
No  matter  how  difficult   the  circumstances   might   be,   his 


CLOUD    AND    SUNSHINE.  181 

genius  woukl  instinctively  hit  on  a  most  unexpected  and 
thoroughly  effective  mode  of  administering  the  needed 
instruction,  or  warning,  or  reproof,  not  only  without  giving 
offence,  Lut  securing  the  gratitude  of  the  object  of  his 
dealing. 

'  A  medical  student  told  me  that  INIr.  Robertson  called 
upon  him  at  his  lodgings,  which  were  up  two  stairs.  There 
was  no  opportunity  for  private  conversation,  as  one  or  two 
fellow-students  Avere  present,  and  my  impression  is  that, 
although  the  visit  was  very  pleasant,  it  was  not  considered 
quite  satisfactory  by  Mr.  Robertson  ;  he  and  the  lad  would 
both  have  preferred  being  alone  together.  When  he  took 
leave,  my  young  friend  accompanied  him  to  the  door,  and 
kindly  offered  his  arm  to  assist  him  down-stairs.  The  offer 
was  pleasantly  and  gratefully  declined,  with  the  smiling  but 
significant  explanation,  " FacUis  descensus" — "Averni"  was 
of  course  mentally  supplied  by  the  lad,  who  was  much  struck 
by  the  terrible  suggestion  so  unexpectedly  conveyed  in  a  spirit 
of  most  loving  and  fatherly  warning,  and  the  clever  way  in 
which  it  was  done. 

'.  .  .  I  have  recollections  which  I  shall  ever  cherish  of  the 
heavenly  atmosphere  in  Avhich  our  dear  friend  lived,  of  the 
spiritual  impulses  he  aroused,  and  of  his  wonderful  prayers.' 

Another  fi'iend  furnishes  further  illustration  of  the 
*  adroitness  '  spoken  of. 

'  Meeting  a  young  lady  one  day,  he  shook  hands,  and 
said,  "  Do  you  remember  that,  Avhen  you  were  a  little  girl, 
you  strayed,  and  were  losf?"  "0  yes,"  she  replied,  "I 
often  hear  about  that,  and  how  eagerly  I  was  sought  for,  and 
what  a  glad   home   it   was   when  I  was  found,  and  brought 


182  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

back."  "  Well,  you  are  lost  still,  if  Christ  has  not 
fovind  you,"  said  Mr.  Eobertson ;  "  and  oh  !  how  earnestly 
He  is  seeking  you,  and  what  a  glad  home  it  will  be  up 
yonder  when  you  are  found  !  "  The  only  reply  given  by  the 
young  lady  was  a  silent  tear.  They  shook  hands  and  parted. 
It  was  a  word  in  season.' 

*  A  student  one  day  said  to  him,  "  I  am  thinking  of  giving 
up,  Mr.  Robertson.  I  cannot  look  after  my  own  soul,  and 
how  shall  I  be  able  to  look  after  the  souls  of  a  whole  con- 
gregation 1  " 

' "  Where  will  you  go  to  1 "  immediately  asked  Mr. 
Robertson, — '  to  Tarshish  ?     Remember  Jonah."  ' 

'  Returning  home  late  one  evening,  he  entered  into  con- 
versation with  the  policeman,  Avho  was  on  duty,  and  going 
his  round,  up  Salisbury  Road,  with  his  lantern  in  his  hand. 

*  "  Well,  you  are  watching,  and  you  have  your  lamp  with 
you,"  said  Mr.  Robertson. 

*  "Just  so,  sir,"  said  the  policeman. 

'  "  Well,"  said  Mr.  Robertson,  "  I  am  a  watchman  too,  and 
I  carry  a  light.  I  watch  for  souls,  and  this  is  my  lamp," 
— taking  out  his  Bible.  "  You  turn  your  light  in  by  my 
house  and  garden,  as  you  pass,  to  see  if  all  is  right.  I  thank 
you  for  that;  and  in  return  for  your  kindness,  alloAV  me 
to  turn  my  light  in  upon  your  heart ; "  and  Mv.  Robertson 
repeated  some  texts,  and  put  some  plain  questions,  and  left 
him  with  this  question,  which  he  asked  liim  to  think  over 
and  over,  and  try  to  answer :  "  How  shall  we  escape,  if  we 
neglect  so  great  salvation  V" 

Meeting  a  man  one  day  on  the  street,  he  inquired 
after  his  health.     The  man  said  he  was  afflicted  witli 


CLOUD    AND    SUNSHINE.  183 

heart-disease,  and  could  not  sleep  at  night ;  '  but,'  he 
added,  '  the  doctor  can  do  nothing.'  '  Ah,'  said  Mr. 
Eobertson,  '  the  worst  form  of  heart-disease  is  sin ;  yet 
people  go  about  with  the  disease,  and  they  do  not 
know  it,  and  they  sleep  quite  soundly.  Now  it  is  my 
business  to  tell  them  how  matters  stand,  and  to  try  to 
disturb  their  sleep,  for  I  can  point  them  to  a  Physician 
who  can  heal  them,  and  then  they  can  sleep  in  peace. 
Have  you  been  to  Christ  with  your  sins  ?  To  be 
forgiven,  to  be  at  peace  with  God,  will  help  you  to 
sleep,  and  Christ  is  willing  to  give  you  pardon  just 
now.' 

The  man  was  silent,  but  went  away  impressed. 

When  on  a  visit  to  Irvine,  he  was  walking  along  the 
beach  one  day,  and  coming  upon  some  fishermen,  who 
were  preparing  bait,  he  entered  into  conversation  with 
them.  He  asked  them  if  they  '  only  used  shell  bait  ? ' 
They  said, '  JS'o  ;  they  often  tried  worms  ;  when  one  bait 
failed,  they  tried  a  change.'  Mr.  Eobertson  asked  if, 
'  every  time  they  baited  a  hook,  ■  they  caught  a  fish  ? ' 
They  said,  '  No ;  sometimes  a  fish  got  the  bait,  but 
was  not  hooked,  and  they  had  to  try  again.'  '  Ah  ! ' 
said  Mr.  Eobertson,  '  that's  the  way  Satan  does ;  he 
often  tries  a  glass  of  whisky,  and  if  one  does  not  do 
he  tries  a  second,  and  a  third.  Whisky  is  his  worm, 
and  he  catches  and  ruins  many  souls  with  it,  but  he 
tries  other  bait, — like  you,  he  changes  his  bait.  He  is 
a  skilled  fisher,  and  we  need  to  be  constantly  guard- 
ing against  his  hidden  hooks.     If  we  take  Christ's  bait, 


184  JAMES    ROBERTSOX. 

the  gospel,  we  will  not  be  so  easily  tempted  to  look  at 
Satan's.' 

About  this  time,  the  household  of  Greenhill  was 
again  darkened  by  two  bereavements,  which  followed 
each  other  in  quick  succession.  The  first,  in  November 
1859,  was  the  death  of  Eobert,  the  youngest  son,  a 
student  of  great  promise  and  rare  accomplishments, 
who  wore  himself  out  before  the  time ;  the  second,  a 
few  months  later,  that  of  the  eldest  son  Andrew,  whose 
light  shone  most  unobtrusively,  yet  really,  over  the 
whole  neighbourhood  in  which  his  lot  was  cast. 

Avenuehead,  where  the  latter  resided,  was  about  a 
mile  from  Greenhill.  It  was  described  at  the  time, 
by  one  who  has  already  written  in  these  pages,  as 
'  a  quaint  old  house,  embowered  in  thick  shrubbery, 
curtained  off  from  the  loud  and  glaring  world  by  a 
green  veil  of  lilac  and  laurel,  through  which  the  light 
passed  in  subdued  and  softened.' 

The  same  writer  continues  : — ■ 

'For  years  he  had  been  the  victim  of  cramp  spasms,  which 
came  upon  him  at  intervals.  He  knew  their  deadly  power. 
On  the  29th  February  1860,  the  end  came.  He  Avas  sitting 
in  the  spring  twilight,  Avaiting  for  tea,  when  he  Avas  seized 
more  violently  than  he  had  ever  been.  He  felt  that  death 
AA'as  on  him,  and  did  not  object,  though  he  had  ahvays  done 
so  before,  to  sending  to  Greenhill  for  his  friends. 

'  The  AA^onted  reliefs  Avere  of  no  avail ;  and  ere  the  hurried 
summons  had  brought  loving  hands  to  stay  his  head,  he  Avas 
unconscious  of  ai^ght  on  earth,  and  A\'as  calmly  passing  aAvay 


CLOUD    AND    SUNSHINE.  185 

to  rest,  from  his  lonely  pain  to  the  house  of  his  Heavenly 
Father.     It  was  his  to  set  his  life  to  music,  to 

'  "  Do  noble  things,  not  dream  them  all  day  long, 
And  thus  make  life,  death,  and  that  vast  for  ever 
One  grand  sweet  song. "  * 

'  Oh,  how  dark,'  James  wrote,  '  God  can  make  our  sky, 
and  how  desolate  our  path  !  "  All  Thy  waves  and  billows 
are  gone  over  me."  Eut  they  are  God's  weaves,  not  rolling 
at  random — no,  every  drop  of  them  measured,  and  impelled 
by  God's  appointment.  In  no  other  circumstances  coidd 
this  removal  have  taken  place,  so  as  to  gain  the  wise  and 
holy  ends  which  God  had  in  view. 

'  Over  these  wrecks  of  earthly  hope,  over  the  dust  of  the 
dear  departed,  our  tear-filled  eyes  are  reading,  "  What  I  do 
ye  know  not  now."  Yet  we  know  enough  of  the  character 
of  our  redeeming  God  to  lay  a  firm  foundation  for  cordial 
acquiescence. 

'  Our  beloved  old  father  is  a  model  of  intelligent,  calm, 
trusting  composure.     "We  glorify  God  in  him. 

'  ]\Iuch  did  dear  Andrew  do  for  the  good  of  others  in  this 
neighbourhood.  .  .  .  The  sorrow  of  the  jDeople  all  around, 
to  Avhom  he  had  been  such  a  blessing,  is  the  most  heart- 
rending imaginable. 

*  Instead  of  being  able  to  speak,  as  Avas  their  wont  when 
Ave  met  by  the  Avay,  they  stand  still  and  Aveep,  almost  like 
children.  .  .  .  To-morroAv  is  the  sad  funeral  day.  Eut  Jesus 
comes  Avith  the  mourners.' 

We  return  from  these  personal  trials  to  the  subject 
of  pastoral  work,  regarding  which  Mr.  Young  says: — 

'  I    remember   very  vividly  my  first  evening  at  Grange 


186  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

Cottage,  in  the  beginning  of  1861.  Two  or  three  of  us 
new-comers  were  invited  to  "an  egg,"  after  the  prayer- 
meeting.  Mr.  Robertson  -was  alone  with  us  at  supper,  and 
read  aloud  to  us,  with  great  gusto.  Dr.  John  Brown's  letter 
to  Dr.  Cairns  on  his  father's  life,  adding  his  own  reminis- 
cences of  Dr.  Brown,  and  of  others,  whose  names  occurred 
in  the  letter. 

*  This  was  a  frequent  mode  Avith  Mr.  Robertson  of  inter- 
esting young  men,  at  the  little  gatherings  which  he  had  in 
his  house.  If  there  were  not  at  the  table  some  returned 
missionary,  or  other  person  who  could  give  us  special  informa- 
tion, or  discuss  a  subject  so  that  we  might  listen  to  its  treat- 
ment, he  was  almost  sure  to  introduce  some  book  he  had 
been  reading,  and  make  it  the  means  of  indirect  teaching 
and  suggestion. 

'  Newington  was  not  at  that  time  what  is  sometimes 
called  "a  young  men's  church,"  and  there  were  no  societies 
for  young  men,  nor  a  Fellowship  Association,  until  some 
years  afterwards ;  but  Mr.  Robertson  attracted  and  kept 
young  men  who  were  interested  in  Church  work,  and  especi- 
ally those  who  were  preparing  for  ministerial  or  missionary 
service.  His  personal  influence,  and  the  social  intercourse 
to  which  he  introduced  such,  Avere  a  power  for  good  to  many 
of  us,  who  might  otherwise  have  fallen  under  the  common 
temptation  of  "wandering,"  or  been  attracted  to  churches 
Avhere  hearing  was  not  likely  to  be  folloAved  by  personal 
dealing  and  engagement  in  Christian  work.  He  did  not 
himself  conduct  the  young  men's  class  at  this  time ;  but  he 
held  an  occasional  meeting,  perhaps  two  in  the  year,  for 
young  men,  on  a  Sabbath  evening.  For  such  occasions,  he 
was  wont  to  engnge  one  of  us  to  Avrite  a  paper,  on  a  subject 


CLOUD    AND    SUNSHINE.  187 

of  i^ractical  or  evidential  interest,  and  tlien  follow  up  the 
reading  of  it  by  some  remarks  of  his  own,  discursive,  rather 
than  studied,  but  full  of  apt  illustration  and  practical  sug- 
gestion. 

'After  we  started  a  Literary  Society  and  Fellowship 
Association,  he  took  great  interest  in  hearing  of  our  pro- 
ceedings, and  was  very  particular  about  getting  strangers 
early  introduced  to  us,  and  made  at  home  in  our  meetings. 

'  His  influence  over  iis  was  rather  in  the  way  of  elevation 
than  of  direction.  He  lifted  us  into  a  higher  region  of 
thought,  and  a  purer  atmosphere,  rather  than  met  our  diffi- 
culties by  reasoning,  or  satisfied  our  doubts  by  arguments. 

'  From  my  intercourse  Avith  fellow-students  at  the  time  I 
refer  to,  I  would  be  inclined  to  say,  that  if  he  did  not  do 
much  to  set  young  men  free  from  the  perplexities  so  incident 
to  mere  intellectual  discussion  of  spiritual  mysteries  and 
problems,  he  did  a  great  deal  to  save  some  of  us  from  falling 
into  doubt  or  difficulty,  by  the  intensity  and  earnestness  of 
his  own  faith,  and  the  enthusiasm  with  which  he  sought  to 
engage  us  in  useful  work,  and  encouraged  us  in  it.  His 
religious  conversation  with  us  was  singularly  free  from 
austerity  and  unctuousness.  It  was  easy,  free,  and  inter- 
esting, with  an  adroit  readiness  in  the  sudden  personal 
attack,  and  an  attractive — sometimes  fanciful — way  of  using 
texts,  that  struck  you  by  its  strangeness,  and  yet  made  you 
think  of  the  words  more  than  you  otherwise  would  have  done.' 

Another  former  student  adds  :  — 

'  "WTiile  he  abhorred  idle  talking  and  jesting,  his  cheery 
laugh  would  ring  out  heartily  as  some  fact  was  touched  on 
its  humorous  side.' 


188  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

'  A  student  once  told  me,'  says  the  Eev.  J.  D. 
Taylor,  '  that  in  conversation  ]\Ir.  Eobertson  said  to 
him : — "  Suppose  a  poor  heathen  lying  dying  on  the 
ground  who  has  never  heard  the  gospel.  He  has  only 
five  minutes  to  live;  what  would  you  say  to  him?" 
And  he  took  out  his  watch  to  count  the  j)assing  minutes.' 

To  a  student  for  the  ministry,  under  bereavement : — 

'  I  scarcely  know  whether  most  to  congratulate  you  on 
having  had  such  a  mother,  or  condole  with  you  on  having 
lost  her.  .  .  . 

'  I  am  glad  you  had  the  satisfaction  of  being  beside  her, 
during  these  days  which  brought  her  pilgrimage  to  a  close, 
and  when,  through  the  growing  shades,  eternity  was  beginning 
to  cast  upon  her  its  mysterious  gleams.  Hoav  unabated  is 
our  ignorance  !  How  hopeless  is  our  inquisitiveness,  after 
we  have  accompanied  to  the  dark  frontier  of  that  great  world 
those  M'ho  so  lately  lived  with  us,  and  like  us  !  How  little 
we  can  descry  of  the  manner  of  their  existence,  who  now 
live  to  die  no  more  !  But  this  ignorance  of  ours  will  not  last 
long.  How  soon  must  our  own  accounts  be  audited  in  the 
presence  of  the  great  White  Tbrone  !  .  .  . 

'  It  is  well  for  us,  dear ,  to  feel  keenly  that  there  are 

points  of  far  deeper  importance  than  the  mere  oiihcard  work 
of  the  ministry'.  To  turn  in  from  the  world  upon  oneself, 
and  upon  God, — to  turn  over  tbe  pages  of  our  own  heart, 
and  to  find  relief  from  nature's  anguish  by  going  direct  to 
Jesus, — these  are  the  exercises  Avliich  string  the  soul  for 
active  service.  May  our  eyes  be  ever  kej)t  open  to  the  vain 
show  of  the  things  of  earth,  and  the  vastness  of  things  eternal ! 
May  Jesus  draw  us  closer  and  closer  yet  to  His  own  pierced 


CLOUD    AND    SUNSHINE.  189 

side,  that  thence  we  may  tell  out  the  "glad  tidings,"  and 
that  thither  we  may  draw  poor  souls  that  are  straying  far 
from  their  rest ! 

'And  of  their  joy  and  ours,  departed  friends  in  Jesus  shall 
be  the  happy  partakers.' 

Mention  ought  here  also  to  be  made  of  otlier  and 
larger  evening  gatherings  in  Grange  Cottage  than  those 
already  referred  to,  when  friends  were  brought  together 
for  the  special  purpose  of  holding  conversation  on  some 
topic  affecting  Christian  life,  or  walk,  or  work,  the 
subject  being  made  known  to  them  beforehand.  These 
were  not  exactly  what  is  known  by  the  modern  term 
'  Bible-reading,'  though  after  tea  Mr.  Eobertson,  with 
pocket-Bible  in  hand  (he  always  carried  a  j)ocket- 
Bible),  would  open  and  guide  the  conversation  with 
a  few  telling  hints  from  his  Great  Authority.  There 
were  friends  of  outstanding  piety  and  ability  often 
present  to  aid  him  in  contributing  to  the  profit  and 
enjoyment  of  the  whole  ;  and  among  the  company  there 
were  also  some  who  could  contribute  nothing — the 
young  and  the  learning — who  were  there  to  listen,  and 
who  still  look  back  on  these  seasons  with  delight  as 
among  their  most  gladsome  privileges. 

The  religious  conversation,  while  bright  and  cheer- 
ful, was  not  unduly  prolonged  ;  and  opportunity  was 
given  afterwards  for  friendly  introductions  and  easy 
talk.  Such  gatherings  became  great  favourites — speci- 
ally if  the  pastor  was  present — and  were  repeated  with 
enjoyment  in  the  houses  of  some  of  the  elders  also. 


CHAPTER    XL 

Grange    EoatJ. 

1862-1877. 

Full  of  charm,  because  of  '  the  ministration  of  the 
Spirit,'  as  was  the  plain,  unadorned  building  in  Duncan 
Street  to  the  church  that  had  gathered  there,  and 
sacred  as  it  was  to  many  a  memory,  because  of  the 
new  vision  there  granted,  and  the  glimpses  gained  of 
'  the  glory  that  excelleth*'  it  had  become  '  too  narrow 
by  reason  of  the  inhabitants,'  and  had  to  be  given  up 
as  the  i)lace  for  worship. 

Meanwhile  both  pastor  and  people  had  been  called 
to  pass  through  a  time  of  trial  in  connection  with  their 
mission  district  in  1861.  As  a  result  of  this  and  of 
the  feeling  evoked  by  it,  a  number  of  large  gifts  for 
Duncan  Street  Church  were  sent  in  unsolicited  to  Mr. 
Robertson  by  members  of  a  sister  denomination,  who 
were  aware  of  the  value  of  his  work,  and  were  in 
full  sympathy  with  it. 

This  willing  help,  combined  with  an  increasing  mem- 
bership and  other  things,  seemed  to  indicate  God's 
voice  in  providence,  '  Enlarge  the  place  of  tliy  tent.' 


GRANGE    ROAD.  191 

With  the  nucleus  of  funds  referred  to,  swelled 
by  the  contributions  of  the  people  themselves,  the 
new  building  in  Grange  Eoad  was  more  than  half 
provided  for,  ere  the  foundation-stone  was  laid  on 
the  23rd  of  July  1862.  It  was  opened  on  15th 
November  1863  ;  and,  about  four  years  after  entering 
it,  when  they  met  to  celebrate  the  completion  of 
twenty-five  years  of  their  beloved  pastor's  ministry, 
the  remaining  provision  had  been  '  most  heartily  ' 
made,  as  '  a  grateful  thankoffering,  by  the  united  and 
attached  flock,  for  the  many  great  and  valued  blessings 
they  enjoyed.' 

One  of  them  told,  on  this  occasion,  how  '  a  neigh- 
bouring minister,  who  had  frequent  cause  to  pass  Mr. 
Robertson's  church,  on  his  way  home  at  eventide, 
said  to  a  friend,  "  What  do  these  people  get  to  meet 
about  so  often  ?  I  never  pass  that  place  at  night, 
but  it  is  lighted  up,  as  if  something  were  going 
on."  He  was  not  far  wrong.  There  was  always 
something  going  on.  If  he  had  stepped  in,  he  might 
have  been  politely  introduced  to  a  mission  committee 
in  one  room,  to  a  meeting  of  Christian  instruction 
visitors  in  a  second,  and,  possibly,  to  a  committee  of 
Sabbath-school  teachers  in  a  third,  and  he  would  have 
found  them  all  engaged  in  devising  schemes  for  securing 
greater  efficiency  in  their  several  departments,  or  in 
seeking,  in  prayer,  the  blessing  of  God  upon  labour 
past,  and  the  pouring  out  of  His  Spirit  upon  them,  to 
fit  them  for  future  work.' 


192  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

And  it  was  owned  that  there  was  '  one  ceaseless 
toiler,  the  example  of  whose  unwearied  personal 
labours  stimulated  others  to  activity,  who,  under  a 
more  passive  leader,  might  have  remained  comparat- 
ively idle.' 

Eegarding  this  change,  Mr.  Young  says  : — - 

'  For  some  years  after  it,  while  there  was  increase  and 
expansion  in  various  ways,  Mr.  Robertson  seemed  to  feel  the 
breaking  up  of  the  homely  family  character  of  congregational 
life,  necessarily  following  a  large  increase  of  membership. 
The  congregation  became  less  homogeneous  ;  the  older  people 
looking  back  on  the  former  temple,  and  the  newer  members 
eager  for  a  new  order  of  things  in  the  new  sphere. 

'  I  remember  well  Mr.  Robertson's  last  sermon  in  Duncan 
Street  on,  "  And  thou  shalt  remember  all  the  way  the  Lord 
thy  God  led  thee."  The  impression  left  on  my  mind  that 
day  was,  that  he  was  leaving  the  old  place  with  regret,  tinged 
with  fear  that  he  might  not  feel  so  much  at  home  in  the  new 
building  as  he  had  done  in  Duncan  Street.' 

Mr.  Robertson  never  felt  that  his  congregation  was 
right  till  it  had,  not  only  its  Home  Mission  agents,  but 
its  own  missionary  in  the  Foreign  field  also. 

In  1866,  by  special  arrangement  with  the  Foreign 
Mission  Board,  the  station  of  Todgurb,  India,  was 
adopted  as  its  own.  The  Rev.  William  Robb  and  Mrs. 
Robb,  who  were  already  working  there,  were  both  well 
known  to,  and  esteemed  by,  the  Newington  people. 
This  choice  was  appreciated  Ijy  the  labourers,  who  con- 


GEANGE   EOAD.  193 

sidered  it  a  high  honour,  and  no  ordinary  privilege ; 
and  the  assurance  that  Christian  friends,  known  and 
unknown  to  them,  were  taking  a  deep  interest,  not 
only  in  themselves,  but  in  the  work  to  which  they 
had  consecrated  their  lives,  tended  greatly  to  stimulate 
and  strengthen.  From  this  time  forward  the  com- 
munication with  them  formed  an  important  and  inter- 
esting item  in  the  congregational  history,  and  in  the 
annual  report. 

The  Newington  people  had,  at  various  times,  many 
missionaries  and  missionary  families  in  their  midst ; 
and  thus  it  was  not  without  a  personal  interest,  that  the 
children  of  the  church  and  the  mission  district  met 
weekly,  when  the  need  arose,  to  sew  for  such  an  object, 
for  instance,  as  the  orphan  children  cast  on  the  mis- 
sionaries' care  in  Calabar. 

The  shades  of  evening  were,  by  this  time,  creeping 
gently  over  the  '  beloved  old  father,'  whose  quiet  life 
had  been  such  a  power  for  good  in  the  home  circle, 
and  far  beyond  it. 

'  So  unobtrusive  in  his  manners,  so  sweet  and  gentle  in 
his  temper,  so  warm  and  genial  in  his  afifection,  and  so 
attentive  to  all  the  courtesies  of  life,  that  it  is  hard  to  con- 
ceive how  the  conduct  of  any  one  could  afford  a  more  lovely 
illustration  of  the  apostle's  exhortation,  "  Love  as  brethren  ; 
be  courteous."  Yet  it  must  be  added  that  although  his 
manners  were  so  simple,  and  natural,  and  meek,  there  was  a 
majesty  about  him — the  majesty  both  of  greatness  and  of 

N 


194  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

goodness.  Love  drew  you  to  him  irresistibly;  but  dignity 
repelled  all  unbecoming  and  vulgar  familiarity.  Even  when 
he  was  prostrated  by  age  and  disease,  one,  on  approaching 
his  bed,  could  not  fail  to  be  awed  by  the  look  of  majesty 
that  lay  on  the  calm  and  pleasant  countenance  of  the  dying 
patriarch. 

'.  .  .  It  was  a  pleasant  thing  to  visit  his  dying  chamber. 
There  Avas  all  light,  without  tlie  slightest  tinge  of  gloom. 
There  was  no  rapture,  no  ecstasy,  for  his  temperament  was 
calm  and  serene.  Yet  there  was  the  most  sweet  submission 
to  the  Divine  will,  and  the  full  assurance  of  hope.  He 
received  his  visitors  with  all  his  former  courtesy,  made  his 
usual  kindly  inquiries  after  their  own  and  their  friends' 
welfare,  and  spoke  of  his  own  weakness  and  approaching 
death  with  all  the  composure  of  one  who  feels  assured  that, 
in  leaving  this  Avorld,  he  is  only  going  home.'  ^ 

To  a  friend  Mr.  Eobertson  writes : — 

'  I  have  just  returned  from  Greenhill,  where  all  is  peace.' 

Unable  to  be  much  with  him,  the  son's  loving  inter- 
course is  thus  kept  up  : — 

'  6  Salisbury  Road,  Edinburgh, 
'28th  May  1867. 

'  My  dear  Father, — It  makes  me  thankful  to  learn,  by 
J.'s  letter  this  morning,  that  you  continue  much  as  when  I 
saw  you  last.  I  had  hoped  to  get  a  run  up  this  week  again, 
but  am  prevented.  .  .  , 

'  Our  God  is  always  beforehand  with  us,  preventing  us 
with  the  blessings  of  His  goodness.     Your  hope  is  a  strong 

'■  From  sermon  preached  after  his  death  by  Rev.  J.  Steedman. 


GRANGE    ROAD.  195 

anchor,  which  must  hold  firmly,  till  the  calmer,  brighter 
future  comes  —  an  anchor  fixed  in  the  very  truth,  and 
nature,  and  glory  of  God — immoveable  as  the  foundation  of 
His  eternal  throne ;  for  in  His  earnest  desire  to  command 
our  trust,  He  condescends  to  strengthen  the  force  of  His 
promise  by  adding  to  it  the  solemn  confirmation  of  His 
oath.  Should  not  a  solitary  promise  have  been  enough  for 
us — from  the  lips  of  Him  who  cannot  lie  1  But  like  the 
stars  of  heaven  for  multitu^de  are  the  assurances  of  the 
unsearchable  riches  of  His  grace.  It  seems  as  if  He  could 
not  be  content  Avithout  our  entire  trust — "and  they  that 
know  Thy  name  shall  put  their  trust  in  Thee." 

'  It  is  delightful  to  think  of  the  very  narratives  of  the 
Old  Testament  and  of  the  New  as  promises.  God's  fidelity 
to  Abraham — His  watchful  care  of  Joseph — His  mercy  to 
David — as  all  reasons  and  arguments  for  being  persuaded 
that  "He  is  faithful  that  promised."  Yet  how  apt  we  arc 
to  feel,  or  fear,  as  if  He  were  in  the  habit  of  speaking 
beyond  His  meaning.  We  forget  that  "  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  is  tried,"  refined,  purified,  like  gold  with  no  alloy,"  and 
that  He  is  "  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly  above  all  that 
we  can  ask  or  think."  He  who  "  knoweth  our  frame,"  who 
"  was  tried  like  as  we  are,"  He  to  whom  angels  ministered, 
after  His  forty  days'  fast  in  the  wilderness,  remembers  what 
our  infirmities  are,  and  will  send  us  help  in  time  of  need. 
If  He  seems  to  wait  long,  may  we  not  believe  that  He 
answers  us  often  by  this  very  waiting — that  He  is  working 
for  us  silently  and  surely,  though  we  may  not  see  clearly  the 
effects  of  His  love — that  He  is  sending  us  help  from  His 
sanctuary,  if  He  is  keeping  our  trust  in  Him  from  failing. 

'  During  some  past  sleepless  nights  I  have  been  thinking 


196  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

much  of  you,  and  of  the  difference  between  your  ivlnter 
ones  and  your  summer  ones.  They  will  not  be  tedious  and 
dreary  now,  when  the  breath  of  nature  is  more  "balmy." 
Oh  that  our  faith  may  every  day  be  getting  stronger,  since 
every  day  is  bringing  us  nearer  to  sight !  How  far  beyond 
all  the  visions  that  faith  ever  beheld  will  be  the  grand 
realities,  when  we  pass  into  the  midst  of  them.  Blessed 
gospel  that  enables  you  to  say,  "  All  this  will  soon  be  mine. 
All  this,  through  grace,  is  mine  already,  and  I  am  only 
waiting  here,  till  He,  who  gives  me  all,  shall  call  me  home 
to  His  inheritance." 

'  We  all  unite  in  fervent  love  to  you.  Pray  much  for 
us  all. — Your  ever  affectionate,  James.' 

The  precious  life,  that  continued  to  the  end  to  be 
as  it  had  been  all  through — only  more  elevated — 
was  gently  breathed  out  on  the  24th  December  1867 
— '  in  the  arms  of  love — the  love  of  God,  and  the 
love  of  children.' 

Mr.  Ptobertson,  in  his  letter  to  his  father,  alludes 
to  the  illegibility  of  his  pencilling ;  and  in  another 
note  to  a  friend,  while  '  watching  (at  Greenhill)  the 
flickering  lamp  of  life,'  he  says :  '  You  see  my  poor 
band  is  very  unhandy.' 

During  the  rest  of  his  life,  owing  to  paralysis  of 
the  fingers  that  hold  the  pen,  writing  became  not 
only  irksome,  but  extremely  painful  if  long  continued. 
This  was  specially  the  case  during  his  weekly  pulpit 
preparation — making   the  sermons   much  more  costly 


FACSIMILE  OF   MS.  SERMON   BY  MR.  ROBERTSON  . 


GRANGE    EOAD.  197 

to  him ;  whilst  much  of  his  correspondence,  as  well 
as  other  writing,  had  to  be  carried  on  with  the  help 
of  one  of  his  daughters  as  amanuensis.  Thus  a 
penmanship,  that  had  been  a  model  of  neatness  and 
beauty  at  first  (as  the  adjoining  facsimile  shows), 
became  often  difficult  to  decipher,  even  to  those  who 
were  familiar  with  it.  Not  only  had  he  this  difficulty 
to  contend  with,  but  throughout  his  ministry,  owing 
to  his  heart-trouble,  he  generally  found  it  necessary 
to  write  in  a  kneeling  posture  for  greater  ease. 

It  will  be  easily  understood  that,  as  Mr.  Robertson's 
great  aim  in  his  ministry — as  to  man — was  salvation 
— '  full  salvation  ' — his  dealings  with  those  who  sought 
to  make  a  public  profession  of  their  being  partakers 
of  this  salvation  would  be  as  earnest,  and  true,  and 
painstaking  as  with  those  who  were  simply  seeking  the 
salvation  itself.  Great  was  his  delight  to  discover,  in 
those  who  applied  for  church  membership,  a  clear  and 
firm  grasp  of  truth,  and  evident  subjection  to  its 
influence ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  if  any  came  with 
this  object  in  view  whom  he  thought  not  sufficiently 
enlightened,  he  would  advise  delay.  The  interval 
would  be  taken  up  in  further  teaching,  which  would 
sometimes  issue  in  most  satisfactory  results,  and  then 
not  without  the  warm  gratitude  of  any  thus  dealt 
with. 

In  testing  applicants,  such  questions  as  the  follow- 
ing were  often  given,  the  answers  to  which  were 
expected   in   writing ;  and   when  any  of  these  papers 


195  JAMES    ROBERTSOX. 

were  particularly  good,  he  could  not  conceal  his  joy 
over  the  writers  : — 

Ques.  1.  How  may  a  sinner  obtain  peace  with  God  ? 
on  what  grounds  ? 

2.  In  what  respect  does  God's  plan  of  saving 
sinners  differ  from  the  plans  you  used  to  take 
for  obtaining  salvation  ? 

3.  Do  you  approve  of  GocVs  2^l<^n,  and  rest  on  the 
finished  loorh  of  Jesus,  as  your  only  hope  ?  Have 
you  accepted  the  free  gift  of  pardon  through 
Christ .? 

4.  What  are  your  motives  for  wishing  to  come  to 
the  table  of  the  Lord  ? 

5.  What  are  your  thoughts  of  sin  as  you  noio 
view  it  ? 

6.  What  think  you  of  Christ  ? 

These  were  calculated  to,  and  did,  draw  out  not 
only  the  theoretical,  but  not  a  little  of  the  practical 
and  experimental. 

It  was  not  only  the  more  matured  whom  he  tried 
to  draw  out,  and  on  whose  minds  he  sought  to  impress 
truth  by  the  use  of  j)en  or  pencil  ;  he  was  frequently, 
in  church  or  school,  setting  the  children  to  search  the 
Scriptures  on  some  point  or  other,  and  getting  them  to 
send  him  the  written  results  of  their  search,  during 
tlie  following  week  days.  Many  such  papers  were 
being  constantly  sent  in.  It  might  be  a  '  child's 
Bible  alphabet '  of  texts  and  poetry  ;  or  a  Bible  tree, 
with  the  main  divisions  or   books    of    the   Bible   for 


GRANGE   ROAD.  199 

stems,  and  chapters  or  verses  for  leaves,  etc. ;  or  a 
clock,  having  each  of  the  twelve  divisions  filled  in 
with  a  Scripture  passage,  on  the  same  subject — varied 
in  length  according  to  the  hour ;  and  many  other 
various  devices. 

In  particular  cases  he  would  ask  them  individually 
to  write  him  letters  regarding  their  spiritual  state 
which  it  would  not  have  been  so  easy  to  utter  in 
words.  This  was  done  quite  apart  from  any  immediate 
view  to  church-membership,  and  bore  good  fruit — it 
might  be  in  making  plain  even  to  themselves  their 
l)resent  position,  or  in  helping  to  develop  the  early 
buddings  of  Christian  character. 

In  the  course  of  his  ordinary  preaching,  whatever 
would  occur  as  a  simple  and  useful  exercise  for  the 
young  would  be  thrown  out  as  a  hint — a  remark 
aside  to  them,  to  let  them  feel  they  were  never  for- 
gotten, and  keep  them  on  the  outlook — with,  '  And 
the  children  will  tell  me  so  and  so  this  week,'  or 
'  when  next  we  meet ' — or  some  such  form  of  request. 

Still  less  were  they  forgotten  on  communion  Sabbaths, 
when  the  familiar  question,  '  Are  the  children  in  the 
gallery  asking,  like  the  young  Israelites  of  old,  "  What 
mean  ye  by  this  service  ?  "  '  was  made  the  foundation 
of  a  few  simple  and  tender  words  on  the  Christian 
feast  and  its  significance. 

Mr.  Young  says  : — 

'When  I  joined  the  church  under  Mr.  Robertson,  his  con- 


200  JAMES   ROBERTSON-. 

versations  with  me,  in  that  connection,  were  brief,  but  pointed, 
well  calculated  to  bring  out  whether  or  not  there  had  been 
personal  decision.  He  gave  me  the  questions  of  which  yon 
have  a  copy,  and  I  wrote  a  letter  in  answer,  detailing  at 
once  my  spiritual  experience,  and  my  aims  for  the  future 
of  Christian  profession  and  service. 

'  In  many  cases,  his  conversation,  even  with  those  who 
brought  "  lines,"  was  very  searching ;  and,  in  all  cases, 
his  dealing  must  have  been  awakening  to  thought,  and 
strengthening  for  Christian  purpose. 

'"Yes,  sir,  and  it  Avas  hot  work,"  was  the  answer  once 
given  me  by  a  new  member,  Avhen  I  asked  if  he  had  had  a 
talk  with  Mr.  Robertson,  on  lodging  his  certificate. 

'  Mr.  Robertson  made  it  a  special  feature  of  his  work  to 
seek  to  bring  the  young  to  early  decision,  and  profession  of 
Christ's  name.  K"ot  only  did  he  afford  opportunities  of  con- 
versation to  those  who  were  thinking  seriously,  but  he  made 
opportunities — invited  to  his  house — wrote  notes — and  in 
various  Avays  sought  to  excite  interest,  or  to  ripen  it  Avhere 
it  had  been  awakened,  and  I  am  persuaded  that  many  real 
conversions  resi\lted  from  Mr.  Robertson's  anxiety  in  this 
direction.' 

Mr.  Eobertson  thus  writes  to  one  of  his  sisters : — 

'October  1858. 

'.  .  .  I  do  hope  the  Lord  is  showering  down  blessings  on 
your  class.  Two  young  girls,  applicants  for  admission  to 
the  Lord's  table  from  Miss  M'L.'s  class,  give  very  cheering 
evidence  of  having  been  loon  in  the  Sabbath  school. 

'  We  have  all  eternity  for  talking  of  His  wondrous  works. 


GRANGE   ROAD.  201 

but  we  have  only  a   little  inch  of  time  for  inviting  poor 
sinners  into  the  ark.  .  .  . 

'  Much  affection,  and  praying  that  you  may  be  satisfieil 
with  favour  and  filled  Avith  the  blessing  of  the  Lord.  I  can 
ask  no  more  !     You  can  hold  no  more  ! ' 

When  absent  from  home  he  wrote'  to  a  Sabbath - 
school  teacher,  some  members  of  whose  class  had 
written  to  him  in  compliance  with  his  parting 
request : — 

'  I  owe  you  many  thanks  for  your  very  kind  attention  to 
my  Avishes  in  your  class.  Will  you  thank  these  girls  for  me  1 
and  say  how  much  I  feel  interested  in  their  communica- 
tions. .  .  .  My  heart's  desire  and  prayer  is  that  your  un- 
Avearied  instruction  and  care  may  be  vital  conductors  by 
which  they  hold  correspondence  Avith  heaven.  And  the 
effect  upon  yourself  is  sure  to  be  the  same  that  the  tasting 
of  the  honey  had  on  Jonathan. 

'  The  Lord  bless,  keep,  and  shine  upon  you, — causing  you 
to  feel  much  of  Avhat  the  Scripture  calls  "  abounding  in 
hope,  through  the  poAver  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

'  I  have  been  jDassing  through  some  luxuriant  scenes  of 
enchanting  interest,  and  I  feel  their  invigorating  charm. 
How  much  of  the  first  garden  still  mantles  the  ground  ! 
Yet  "Ave,  according  to  His  promise,  look  for  new  heavens 
and  a  ncAV  earth,  wherein  dAvelleth  righteousness."  ' 

He  wrote  such  '  Notes '  as  the  following  to  members 
of  the  class  : — • 

'My  dear  Friend, — I  have  ever  looked  on  you  Avith 
intense  interest,  and  long  to  knoAv  your  progress  on  your 


202  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

heavenly  way.  Have  you  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  without 
which  we  are  none  of  Hisi  How  important  is  this  self- 
scrutiny  !  If  we  deceive  ourselves  in  the  affairs  of  the  soul, 
the  delusion  may  be  fatal.  I  long  for  all  the  dear  young- 
people  of  my  class  to  be  patterns  of  holiness  and  devoted- 
ness,  separated  from  the  world,  both  in  its  pleasures  and 
spirit.  Are  you  in  possession  of  present  pardon  and  recon- 
ciliation to  God  1  Can  you  call  Him  your  Father,  your  own 
God  ?  Has  He  made  you  His  child  ?  There  is  no  middle 
state  before  God.  Oh,  bring  not  a  divided  heart  to  such  a 
Friend  and  Saviour.' 

'  Are  you  aiming  at  exalted  piety,  eminent  holiness, 
extensive  usefulness  1  Holiness  is  the  joy  of  heaven. 
Follow  after  holiness,  and  this  will  'give  higher  joy  to  the 
angels  around  the  throne  than  even  to  him  whose  anxieties, 
hopes,  and  fears  have  dictated  these  hasty  lines. 

'  Is  Christ  your  hope,  and  is  every  motive  to  holiness  and 
obedience  derived  from  this  :  "  We  love  Him  because  He 
first  loved  us  "  ? ' 

'  Have  you  experienced  those  two  distinct  fruits  of  the 
Saviour's  work :  justification  through  His  blood,  as  the 
foundation  of  your  hope ;  and  the  Spirit's  work  in  you,  as 
the  evidence  that  you  are  building  on  that  one  foundation  ? 

'  I  feel  most  deeply  anxious  about  you,  and  have  littered 
many  an  earnest  prayer  and  desire  for  your  speedy  decision 
for  God.' 


CHAPTEE    XII. 

Nfiri  STics  an^  Mttrer  Serbice. 
1872-1879. 

In  course  of  time  it  was  thought  desirable  that  Mr. 
Robertson's  congregational  labours  should  be  shared 
hj  another,  and,  accordingly,  the  Eev.  John  Young, 
M.A.,  whose  student  days  had  been  spent  under  Mr. 
Eobertson's  ministry,  was  ordained  as  his  colleague  on 
the  2nd  October  1872,  and  became  doubly  related 
when,  on  the  29  th  of  the  same  month,  he  was  married 
to  Mary,  eldest  daughter  of  his  senior  colleague. 

Shortly   before  these  events,  Mr.  Eobertson  wrote 
to  a  ministerial  friend  : — 

'Aug.  1872. 
'  "What  a  privilege  that  you  hear  to-night  the  voice  of  that 
grand  old  African  lion  !  ^ 

'  Ten  thousand  blessings  on  him  ! 

'  It  would  be  a  wonderful  blessing  to  us  at  Kewington 

to  get   though  it  were  but  ten  minutes  of  him,  especially 

at  this  time,  when  I  feel  so  anxious  to  keep  my  people  up 

to  their  annual  <£300  for  India.     They  have  all  along  given 

1  Moflat. 


204  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

more  a  year  for  missions  than  for  all  congregational  purposes, 

and  I  would  not  like  it  to  be  otherwise. 

'HoAV  joyfully  I  Avould  see  him  in  our  pulpit,  re-openiug 

our  church  on  the  forenoon  of  Sabbath  !  .  .  . 
'  .  .  .  That  would  be  a  Re-decor atiun.^ 
'JNIy  great  love  for  the  dear  old  hero  makes  me  bold.' 

From  the  indications  given  in  the  earlier  part  of 
this  volume  of  Mr.  Robertson's  views  of  revival  and 
evangelistic  work,  when  it  was  by  no  means  so 
generally  approved  as  it  is  now,  it  may  well  be 
supposed  that  it  was  with  no  ordinary  cordiality  and 
readiness  to  co-operate,  that  he  hailed  such  work  as 
Mr.  Moody's.  It  went  far  to  realize  his  heart's  desire, 
in  the  wise,  clear,  simple  statement  of  gospel  truth  ; 
in  common-sense  modes  of  dealing ;  and  in  most 
skilful,  opportune,  and  apt  application  of  the  '  Balm 
of  Gilead '  to  the  wounds  of  sin. 

No  wonder  he  threw  himself  into  it  with  all  his 
heart ;  and  in  much  both  of  sowing  and  reaping  he 
was  privileged  to  share  during  those  highly-prized 
seasons. 

In  this  connection  there  was  much  less  that  jarred 
on  his  finer  sensibilities  than  in  a  great  deal  of  the 
work  carried  on  under  the  name  of  '  Eevival '  and 
'  Evangelistic  ; '  hence  his  satisfaction  in  going  along 
with  it. 

He  was,  however,  on  other  occasions,  often  involved 
in  a  great  deal  of  which  he  could  not  apj)rove,  as  to 
^  The  churcli  had  just  been  're-decorated.' 


NEW    TIES    AND   WIDER    SERVICE,  205 

modes  of  working  and  statements  of  truth ;  but  it 
has  been  well  said  in  reference  to  these,  that  Mr, 
Kobertson's  influence  was  always  corrective.  He 
could  gather  up  the  various  elements,  and,  with  his 
native  courtesy,  throw  them  into  his  own  mould  of 
balanced  truth  and  judicious  dealing. 

During  an  evangelistic  mission  carried  on  in  one 
of  the  cities,  a  friend,  who  was  present  at  one  meeting, 
tells  that  there  had  been  a  weekly  record,  in  some 
periodical,  of  the  number  of  supposed  conversions. 
At  this  meeting,  over  which  Mr.  Eobertson  was 
presiding,  some  ardent  friend  had  proposed  that 
those  conversing  with  the  anxious  should  see  to 
furnishing  the  exact  number  of  those  professing 
to  have  received  enlightenment,  for  insertion  in  this 
jmper, 

Mr.  Eobertson  then  rose  and  slowly  repeated  (for 
singing)  the  words — 

'When  God  the  people  writes  He'll  count,' 

emphasizing  the  two  last  words ;  and,  turning  to  the 
gentleman  wlio  made  the  proposal,  he  added  in  his 
kindly  way :  '  I  think,  my  friend,  we  may  safely  leave 
that  to  Him  !  ' 

Often  has  he  been  seen  to  writhe  under  statements 
which  he  could  neither  correct  nor  approve ;  and 
grieving  over  the  misrepresentation  of  so  sacred  n 
cause,  he  would  quietly  sigh  out,  in  leaving  such 
meetings  :    '  Oh,    one    would    need    a    great    deal    of 


206  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

love  for  the  work,  and  faith  in  it,  to  be  mixed  up 
with  such  things  as  these.' 

But  as  one  of  God's  '  watchmen,'  it  was  his  duty  to 
watch,  and  regulate,  or  guide,  as  far  as  he  could, 
counteracting  error,  supplying  truth  ;  and  if  a  move- 
ment could  be  used  for  good,  to  use  it,  however  his 
credit  might  be  affected.      That  was  secondary. 

Not  that  he  did  not  care  for  his  own  good  name. 
He  was  keenly  sensitive  on  this  point,  but  not  only,  nor, 
we  believe,  chiefly  for  his  own  sake,  but  for  the  sake 
of  the  message  he  bore — for  the  service  he  represented. 

Some  of  his  parting  words  in  public  to  Mr.  Moody 
at  the  close  of  one  of  the  latter's  visits  to  Edinburgh 
were  these : — 

'  I  am  meeting  from  day  to  day  with  older  Christians  who 
wish  they  were  young  again  —  who  wish  thej^  had  been 
children  at  such  a  Christ-finding  time  as  this.  This  very 
morning  a  father  told  me  with  deep  emotion,  how  his  young 
people  had  on  recent  evenings  been  coming  home  from  tlu^ 
meetings  saying  there  is  beauty  in  Jesus,  and  wondering 
that  all  the  world  didn't  see  it  too,  and  that  they  themselves 
had  not  seen  it  sooner.  .  .  .' 

'  All  this  wonderful  animation,  and  glow,  and  expansion 
of  heart  we  have  had  here  to-day,  and  on  former  days,  is 
nothing  to  come  of  it  but  just  to  enjoy  it,  to  devour  it? 
Can  we  suffer  to  consume  away  in  mere  useless  sparkle  a 
blaze  so  precious,  an  element  of  mind  which,  while  it  burns, 
might  be  turned  to  some  noble,  practical  purpose  ?  Has  not 
every  one  of  the  prayers  here  offered  been  a  pledge  that  we 
will  go  forth  on  a  Saviour's  errand  in  quest  of  lost  souls. 


NEW    TIES    AND  WIDER    SERVICE.  207 

that  we  will  be  the  same  in  action  as  we  have  been  in 
devotion  1  Will  not  the  young  among  us,  who  say  they  are 
converted,  show  that  they  are  converted — the  flower  of  the 
army  of  the  Captain  of  Salvation,  having  graven  on  their 
hearts  their  life  motto — 

'  "  Hold  the  fort,  for  I  am  coming. 
By  Thy  grace  we  will."  ' 

'  That  visit  of  IMr.  Moody's '  (says  Mr.  Young)  '  was  a  land- 
mark in  Mr.  Robertson's  life.  It  led  to  a  widening  out  of 
his  ministry,  full  of  interest  to  him.  Revival  work  had 
been  familiar  to  him  from  his  student  days,  and  he  was 
always  in  fullest  sj'mpathy  with  special  evangelistic  effort, 
within  and  outside  of  church  organization.  But  he  Avas 
exceedingly  anxious  about  the  fulness  and  depth  of  Scripr 
tural  teaching  in  connection  with  revival  meetings,  and 
very  watchful  against  the  exuberances  of  "  zeal  without 
knowledge."  Before  Mr.  Moody  had  been  a  week  at  work, 
Mr.  Robertson  was  perfectly  satisfied,  and  threw  himself 
with  his  whole  heart  into  the  meetings,  seldom  missing  one, 
although  there  were  generally  three  in  a  day. 

*  That  Avinter,  I  believe,  he  was  greatly  blessed  to  many, 
and  his  labours  were  owned  of  God  to  the  ingathering  of 
not  a  little  of  the  abundant  fruit  of  that  time  of  blessing. 
During  1874  he  visited  many  places,  either  with  Mr.  Moody, 
or  following  up  his  work,  and  his  services  -were  largely 
drawn  upon  for  special  weeks  of  meetings  or  Conference 
services.' 

At  that  time  Mr.  Younir  had  been  Mr.  Robertson's 
colleague  for  a  year,  and  was  able  to  relieve  him,  to  a 
large   extent,   from    congregational    work    daring    the 


208  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

week.  And  it  was  not  less  with  an  eye  to  the 
ultimate  benefit  of  his  own  people  than  of  others,  that 
Mr.  Eobertson  entered  so  heartily  into  those  outside 
movements.  He  hoped  to  return  to  them  greatly 
refreshed,  and  to  bring  a  blessing  with  him. 
A  friend  says  : — 

'  He  was  "  instant  in  season."  On  Mr.  Moody's  first  visit 
to  this  country,  when  he  was  holding  meetings  in  the  North, 
Mr.  Robertson  went  to  join  him  ;  and  on  his  way  thither  in 
the  train  he  spoke  very  earnestly  to  his  fellow-travellers 
about  spiritual  things.  They  had  not  been  accustomed  to 
this,  and  seemed  surprised,  but  soon  became  interested,  and 
listened  attentively.  By  and  by  it  'began  to  dawn  on  the 
mind  of  a  Highlander,  who  had  been  listening  in  silent 
reserve,  that  he  could  account  for  this  innovation.  Folding 
his  arms  and  drawing  himself  up  with  the  air  of  one 
who  was  conscious  of  his  superior  discernment,  he  said  to 
j\lr.  Robertson  :  "  Oh  !  you'll  be  Moody  and  Sankey,  are 
you  1 " 

'  Coming  from  Glasgow  to  Edinburgh,  Mr.  Robertson  spoke 
so  earnestly  to  the  person  sitting  opposite  him  in  the  train, 
that  when  they  got  to  Falkirk  the  man  was  deeply  moved  ; 
and  as  he  left  the  train  there,  he  shook  hands  with  Mr. 
Robertson,  and  with  tears  in  his  eyes  thanked  him  for  his 
faithfulness,  saying :  "  Never  in  all  my  life  have  I  been 
spoken  to  in  such  a  plain  and  kindly  way  about  my  sold. 
I  will  never  forget  you,  sir." 

'  A  Bible-woman  was  walking  along  Princes  Street  about 
nine  o'clock  one  night,  when  Mr.  Robertson,  who  was 
speaking  to  a  young  man,  turned  round  and  shook  hands 


NEW   TIES    AND    WIDER   SERVICE.  209 

with  her,  and  then  he  went  hurriedly  away.  The  young 
man  asked  the  Bible-woman  who  the  gentleman  was.  She 
told  him ;  upon  which  he  remarked,  "  That  man  is  in 
earnest.  He  is  the  first  person  that  ever  spoke  to  me 
about  eternal  things."  ' 

We  are  indebted  to  Mr.  James  Balfour,  W.S.,  Edin- 
burgh, for  the  following  recollections  of  his  association 
with  Mr.  Eobertson,  especially  in  evangelistic  work  : — 

' .  .  .  We  did  not  belong  to  the  same  denomination,  and 
were  not  thrown  together  by  our  ecclesiastical  proclivities, 
but  met  first  probably  about  1859  or  1860,  in  the  Monday 
noon  meetings  in  Queen  Street  Hall,  when  there  was  a  time 
of  considerable  revival  in  this  country,  as  well  as  in  America 
and  Ireland.  Our  acquaintance  soon  became  friendship. 
The  more  I  knew  him,  the  more  I  admired  him,  and  used 
to  delight  in  the  warmth  of  his  spirituality,  his  tenderness 
and  unction. 

'  It  was,  however,  during  Messrs.  Moody  and  Sankey's 
first  visit  to  Edinburgh,  in  the  winter  of  1873-74,  that  I 
saw  most  of  him.  His  short  five-minutes  addresses  at  the 
meetings  were  often  very  precious,  having  about  them  a 
great  dash  of  genius,  combined  with  uncommon  fervour. 
But  his  prayers  were  usually  more  striking  still — more  so,  I 
think,  than  those  of  any  one  whom  I  ever  knew.  He 
seemed  always  to  be  very  near  the  throne  himself,  and  he 
interceded  with  the  holy  familiarity  of  one  who  was  often 
there,  and  who  had  come  in  by  the  blood-sprinkled  way.  He 
was  present  at  that  never-to-be-forgotten  watch  meeting  on 
the  night  of  the  31st  of  December  1873,  at  which  Mr.  Moody 
presided,    and   he   took   frequent    part   in   it.      There   has 


210  JAMES   ROBERTSON. 

seldom  been  a  meeting  at  which  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  was  more  felt.  It  lasted  for  four  hours,  and  they 
seemed  to  be  so  short.  During  the  last  ten  minutes  the 
vast  audience  that  crowded  the  Free  Assembly  Hall  knelt 
down  and  engaged  in  silent  prayer.  Amid  its  solemn  still- 
ness the  clocks  struck  twelve,  when  the  Jubilee  Singers,  who 
Avere  present,  in  a  soft  whisper  sang — 

'  "  There  are  angels  hovering  round 
To  carry  the  tidings  home." 

And  they  did  carry  the  tidings  home  that  night  of  the 
new  birth  of  Maggie  Lindsay,  whose  touching  death  on  the 
railway  a  few  days  after  created  such  a  sensation.  It  was 
in  a  meeting  such  as  that  that  Mr.  Robertson  was  in  his 
element,  and  he  helped  much  to  tone  and  elevate  it. 

'It  was  about  this  time  that  Mr.  Robertson  suggested 
the  clocks  which  for  many  years  afterwards  were  famous 
among  children.' 

Whether  or  not  the  idea  originated  with  him  we 
cannot  say,  but  we  understand  his  first  use  of  it  was 
in  visiting  '  a  boy  who  had  been  in  long  distress. 
Being  told  of  weary,  sleepless  nights,'  he  threw  out 
the  hint  that  he  might  accompany  the  hours  of  the 
clock  with  Scripture  passages.  At  one,  he  might 
think  of  a  text  of  one  word ;  at  two,  of  two  words, 
and  so  on.  In  a  few  days  the  boy,  of  his  own 
accord,  sent  to  Mr.  Eobertson  the  face  of  a  clock,  which 
he  had  drawn  out,  with  the  passages  inserted  at  their 
appropriate  hours.  This  led  to  the  suggestion  that 
other  children  might  do  the  same,  copying  any  style  of 


NEW    TIES    AND    WIDER   SERVICE.  211 

clock  they  might  prefer.     One  special  subject  was  to 
be  pursued  in  the  case  of  each  clock,  for  example — 

One  o'clock,  '  Faith/ 
Two        „       '  Precious  Faith.' 
Three     „       '  Lord,  I  believe.' 
Four       „       '  Have  Faith  in  God ; ' 

and  so  on  for  all  the  hours  on  the  clock. 
Mr.  Balfour  adds  : — 

'  This  gave  the  children  a  pleasing  exercise  of  ingenuity 
in  devising  the  clock,  and  of  taste  in  drawing  it,  and  it  also 
sent  them  to  their  Bibles  to  search  for  texts.  Several 
thousand  clocks  were  sent  to  him,  and  some  of  them  were 
charming. 

'  Mr.  Robertson  frequently  came  to  the  Conferences  at 
Perth,  and  enjoyed  them  much.  I  remember  on  one  occa- 
sion his  standing  near  me  on  the  platform  when  spiritual 
emotion  was  very  strong  in  the  meeting,  and  gently  pressing 
my  hand  he  said :  "  Either  this  is  heaven  or  it  is  very 
near  it."  At  another  Conference  he  presided  at  the  com- 
munion of  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  gave  such  an  address  ! — 
An  English  Christian  of  some  eminence  said  to  me  after- 
wards, he  could  compare  it  to  nothing  but  a  string  of  pearls.' 

Leaving  Mr.  Balfour's  later  reminiscences  to  a  later 
stage,  we  return  to  Mr.  Young's  account : — 

'  There  is  one  phrase  I  constantly  associate  with  Mr. 
Robertson:  "The  free  offer  of  the  gospel."  That  was  the 
characteristic  of  his  ministry ;  and  I  have  never  met  any 
one  who  could  put  the  way  of  acceptance  in  such  Avinsome 


212  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

persuasiveness,  and  in  such  manifold  variety  of  form  and 
illustration.  In  nearly  every  sermon  he  had  some  passage 
exhibiting  the  simple  gospel  plan ;  and  there  were  some 
modes  of  putting  it  of  such  frequent  recurrence  that  they 
became  very  familiar  to  all  who  were  acquainted  with  his 
preaching. 

'  One,  in  the  form  of  a  dialogue  between  law  and  grace, 
or  righteousness  and  mercy,  he  used  to  give  quite  dramatic- 
ally; and  another,  in  which  the  conscience  soliloquized  on 
its  determination  not  to  be  content  with  getting  into  God's 
blessed  presence  by  any  back  way,  or  on  any  plea  short  of 
a  full,  straightforward  acquittal  and  welcome,  was  very 
striking,  even  Avhen  frequently  heard.  He  was  very  jealous 
of  any  preaching  which  was  not  clear  and  explicit  on  that 
point ;  but  doctrinal  accuracy  in  a  preacher  was  not  enough 
for  him  ;  there  must  be  the  spiritual  earnestness  of  the 
messenger,  conscious  of  the  importance  of  his  message. 

'  To  me  a  very  striking  feature  in  Mr.  Eobertson's  ministry 
was  the  extent  of  church  organization  which  he  set  agoing, 
and  helped  to  keep  agoing,  in  light  of  the  fact  that  he  had 
not  naturally  what  men  often  call  the  business  gift.  For 
details  of  organization  and  church  business,  in  the  ordinary 
sense,  he  had  no  turn.  His  physical  weakness  made  him 
timid  in  proposing  schemes  which  might  lead  to  discussion, 
and,  to  some  extent,  unfitted  him  for  launching,  and  carrying 
through  their  initial  difficulties,  new  enterprises.  He  had 
a  constitutional  aversion  to  "  new  fangledness,"  and  had  no 
love  for  change  of  methods,  in  starting  societies,  and  multij)ly- 
ino-  branches  of  organization.  And  yet  Newington  was 
well  organized,  its  work  was  constantly  branching  out  along 
new  lines  ;  and  not  a  few  schemes  of  effort,  exciting  opposi- 


NEW   TIES    AND    WIDER    SERVICE.  213 

tion,  or  at  least  serious  discussion,  were  launched  and  made 
successful. 

*If  Mr.  Eolaertson,  as  he  often  laughingly  confessed,  was 
not  a  business  man,  and  did  not  feel  so  comfortable  in  a 
committee  meeting  as  elsewhere,  he  had  the  faculty  of 
discerning  character,  and  using  the  business  gifts  and  organiz- 
ing faculties  of  others ;  and  the  power  of  impressing  the 
desirability  of  some  new  thing's  being  done  on  some  one, 
who  was  able  to  plan  the  work,  plead  for  it,  and  carry  it  to 
a  successful  issue.  This  was  one  great  secret  of  his  success 
in  congregational  enterprise ;  and  it  explains  the  extent  to 
which  different  branches  of  the  church  work  were  associated 
largely  with  single  men.  I  always  look  upon  his  success 
in  organizing  a  church  as  a  great  encouragement  to  ministers 
Avho  think  they  have  not  the  business  gift,  and  as  calculated 
to  enforce  the  truth  that  a  minister's  work  is  often  best  done 
by  inspiring  and  leading  other  people  to  work, 

'  His  outside  work  took  chiefly  these  two  special  forms,  as 
preacher  to  Children,  and  as  evangelist  and  Conference-worker 
in  his  last  days. 

'  His  almost  entire  abstinence  from  Presbytery  and  Synod 
work,  and  the  small  share  he  took  in  what  may  be  described 
as  platform  work,  gave  to  some  people  the  impression  that 
he  took  little  interest  in  ecclesiastical  and  public  questions. 
But  this  I  believe  to  be  a  mistake.  His  physical  weakness, 
his  fear  of  excitement,  and  his  constitutional  dislike  of 
business  details,  unfitted  him  for  taking  a  prominent  part 
in  debate  ;  and  the  characteristic  neatness  of  his  style,  and 
more  meditative  mode  of  thinking  and  speaking,  scarcely 
found  a  congenial  sphere  on  the  public  meeting  platform. 
No  man,  however,  was  more  efficient  as  a  chairman  of  some 


214  JAMES   ROBERTSON. 

great  cliildren's  gatliering,  or  as  a  speaker  on  behalf  of  our 
benevolent  and  missionary  societies. 

'  The  Temperance  cause  was  very  dear  to  him.  His  views 
were  pronounced  upon  every  aspect  of  this  question,  and  he 
seldom  let  slip  an  opportunity  of  speaking  a  decisive  word 
in  favour  of  total  abstinence.  He  had  no  liking  for  what 
used  to  be  known  as  "short  pledges,"  or  any  other  half- 
hearted way  of  facing  what  he  felt  to  be  a  tremendous  evil. 
He  was  "total,"  as  he  used  to  say,  and  generally  expressed 
himself  as  having  little  faith  in  measures  not  on  the  line  of 
total  abstinence. 

'  For  a  man  so  mild  and  gentle  in  his  natural  temperament, 
Mr.  Eobertson's  speaking  in  public  and  private  on  our 
drinking  usages,  and  the  need  of  total  abstinence,  both  for 
safety  and  example,  was  exceedingly  strong  and  decided. 
Few  questions  stirred  him  more  deeply.  Gospel  temperance 
was  an  oft-recurring  theme  in  the  Newington  pulpit,  and 
it  gave  him  great  delight  when,  on  the  occasion  of  my 
ordination,  it  was  heartily  agreed  by  the  session  that  the 
ordination  dinner  should  be  conducted  on  total  abstinence 
principles — a  much  less  common  thing  fourteen  years  ago 
than  it  happily  is  now. 

'  Mr.  Robertson  was  a  conscientious  Voluntary.  He  held 
the  principle  firmly,  and  had  faith  in  it,  as  supplying  the 
only  solution  of  ecclesiastical  difficulties,  and  the  surest 
means  of  support  for  true  spiritual  work.  It  was  his  con- 
viction of  the  evil  practical  results  of  the  State  Church 
system,  as  hindering  the  work  of  home  evangelization,  and 
lowering  the  tone  and  standard  of  spiritual  life,  that  bulked 
most  largely  in  his  conversation  and  public  utterances  on 
this  subject.      I  was  often  surprised   by  the   intensity  of 


NEW   TIES   AND    WIDER   SERVICE.  215 

feeling  and  keenness  of  interest  he  displayed  in  regard  to 
the  matter,  and  the  warmth  with  which  he  supported  the 
movement  for  the  emancipation  of  the  State  Churches.  A 
few  weeks  after  my  ordination,  he  asked  me  to  preach  a 
special  sermon,  making  clear  my  position  in  relation  to 
Voluntaryism ;  "  but,"  he  said,  "  leave  to  me  my  favourite 
text  on  that  question  :  '  Loose  thyself  from  the  bands  of 
thy  neck,  O  captive  daughter  of  Zion.'  "  He  was  a  lover  of 
good  men  in  whatever  Church  they  were  found ;  but  his 
hatred  of  evil  principles  was  none  the  less  because  they 
had  taken  captive  good  men  whom  he  loved.  He  was 
jealous  for  the  honour  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  he  felt  to 
be  compromised  by  dependence  on  the  arm  of  flesh,  and  he 
prized  highly  his  position  as  minister  of  a  Church,  whose 
history  proved  to  demonstration  the  power  of  Christian  love, 
begotten  of  the  Spirit,  to  maintain  and  extend  Christ's  cause 
in  the  world.' 


CHAPTEE    XIII. 

ifamilg  BcreaticmEnts. 
1874-1876. 

The  time  came  for  the  family  nest  to  be  broken  up. 
Mrs.  Robertson  had  been  subject  occasionally  to 
severe  bronchial  illnesses  for  several  years.  During 
one  of  them  Mr.  Eobertson  wrote : — 

'The  Lord  has  graciously  granted  us  a  little  reviving. 
It  is  only  "  for  a  season,  if  need  be,"  that  the  heaviness  will 
last.  .  .  .  How  precarious  all  things  beneath  the  skies ! 
How  entire  our  dependence  on  God  Himself  for  bliss  !  How 
delightful  the  prospect  of  our  home  on  high,  where  no  evil 
Avill  be  felt  or  feared  any  more  for  ever ! 

'  May  we  all  be  kept  looking  for  the  mercy  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  unto  eternal  life.  .  .  .' 

In  the  autumn  of  1874,  the  mother  herself  wrote 
to  her  daughter  in  Glasgow  : — 

'  The  winter  lies  before  me  like  a  dark  cloud,  and  I  fear 
to  enter  into  the  cloud,  but  may  it  be  to  me  as  it  was  to 
the  disciples,  to  see  more  of  the  beauty  and  glory  of 
Jesus.' 


FAMILY    BEREAVEMENTS.  217 

Towards  the  end  of  the  year,  while  anxious  hearts 
were  looking  and  longing  for  the  breaking  up  of  an 
intense  and  prolonged  frost,  he  thus  expressed  his 
fears : — 

'  29th  December. 

'I  cannot  longer  delay  letting  you  know  what  distress 
we  are  in  on  my  beloved  B.'s  account.  This  weather  has 
brought  on  what  the  doctor  speaks  of  as  the  worst  bronchial 
illness  she  has  ever  had.  .  .  .  Pray  for  us,  that,  amid 
all  the  distraction  of  feeling,  there  may  be  rest  in  the 
calm  ranges  of  that  high  Avord  :  "  As  thy  day  so  shall  thy 
strength  be." 

'Mary  is  not  at  all  strong,  also  much  affected  by  the 
severity  of  the  season. 

'Shall  any  of  us  ever  regret  the  hottest  flame  of  the 
furnace,  if  it  burn  away  our  bonds,  and  make  more  clear 
and  beautiful  the  presence  of  the  Son  of  God  1 — Your  afflicted 
and  afi'ectionate  brother,  J.  R.' 

The  furnace  heat  was  not  abated  when  he  wrote, 
two  days  later,  to  a  niece : — 

'31st  December  1874. 

'My  heart  is  so  rent,  I  cannot  write  more  than  the 
mournful  message  : 

'  My  dearly  beloved  B. — mine  no  more.  The  Lord  has 
taken  her  Home. 

'  A  sore  attack  of  her  bronchitis  set  in  with  this  sad 
weather  last  week.  She  seemed  to  rally  for  a  while,  and 
we  were  all   hopeful — the   doctor   too;    but   this  morning 


218  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

exhaustion  suddenly  supervened,  and  at  half-past  ten  she 
exchanged  earth  for  heaven. 

'  What  a  precious  treasure  we  have  lost ! 
'  "  Even  so,  Father  !  " 

'  You  and  your  dear  hushand  will  help  us  by  your  prayers 
to  lay  this  heavy  burden  down  at  the  feet  of  Jesus. — Your 
deeply  afflicted  but  ever  affectionate  uncle,  J.  R.' 

It  cannot  soon  be  forgotten  how,  that  last  night  of 
the  year,  with  a  heart  at  the  breaking,  the  father  led 
the  bereaved  circle,  at  the  time  of  evening  prayer,  in 
the  trustful  vindication  of  his  Father's  love :  '  Thou 
hast  done  us  no  wrong.'  Nor  how,  that  sad  day, 
when  he  returned  to  his  darkened  home,  from  which 
she  had  just  been  carried,  the  first  words  he  uttered 
were  :  '  The  Lord  prepared  the  gourd,  and  the  Lord 
prepared  the  worm.' 

No  one  could  well  depend  more  on  his  home  ties — 
on  the  perfect  sympathy  of  loving  companionship  ; 
and  to  be  bereft  of  this  was,  for  him,  to  be  terribly 
left  out  in  the  cold. 

Literally — physically,  his  heart  was  severely  tried 
under  any  grief.  His  changed  looks  under  this  one 
showed  it. 

The  friends  among  whom  he  spent  the  first  weeks 
of  his  widowhood  knew  what  sad  and  wakeful  and 
suffering  nights  he  had.  In  the  morning  he  would 
pour  forth  the  richest  truth  that  had  been  cheering 
him  during  his  long  waking  hours,  leaving  no  room 
to   doubt   that   he  was  drinking   at  the  Fountain  of 


FAMILY   BEREAVEMENTS.  219 

Consolation  so  eagerly,  and  freshly,  and  fully,  that 
it  was  not  possible  to  do  otherwise  than  stand  aside 
and  listen,  with  the  feeling  that  no  comfort  could  be 
stronger  than  that  which  he  was  drawing  for  himself 
— passages  of  Scripture  invested  with  new  meaning 
and  new  refreshment,  in  the  new  circumstances. 

Thus  he  wrote  soon  after :  '  When  Hagar's  bottle  is 
spent,  God's  own  fountain  comes  more  fully  into  view. 
May  He  make  us  willing  to  be  trained  to  a  higher  life  ! ' 

Next  to  the  '  Fount  of  everliving  Love,'  nothing 
comforted  him  more  than  giving  vent  to  what  a  friend 
quoted  calls  his  '  quenchless  sympathy  for  others,' 
and  he  was  open  as  ever  to  outward  appeals  to  it. 
He  did  not  allow  himself  to  be  shut  up  in  a  selfish, 
fruitless  grief.  To  parents  bereft  of  their  boy  the 
day  after  Mrs.  Eobertson  died,  he  wrote  : — 

'  My  dear  afflicted  Friends, — I  wish  I  could  be  with  you 
to  mingle  my  tears  with  yours.  Is  it  not  best  to  think  of 
the  joy  of  our  beloved  ones,  all  whose  tears  have  been  wiped 
away,  and  of  the  joy  of  Jesus  in  preparing  a  place  for 
them,  and  in  welcoming  them  home  for  ever? 

'  He  hath  said,  I  will  never  leave  thee. — Yours  in  tenderest 
sympathy,  J.  K.' 

A  friend  writes,  and  the  words  are  appropriate  to 
such  a  time  as  this : — 

'  He  was  a  true  Barnabas — a  son  of  consolation,  and  had 
learned,  as  few  do,  how  to  sliow  as  well  as  feel  sympathy ; 
and  one  could  not  help  feeling  that  the  comforts,  so  tenderly 


220  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

and  skilfully  administered,  were  just  those  wherewitli  he 
had  been  himself  comforted  of  God. 

'  We  will  never  forget  what  he  was  to  us  in  a  protracted 
season  of  deep  trial,  when  one  very  dear  to  us  was  dying 
in  a  distant  land,  far  removed  from  friends  and  kindred. 
Often,  in  the  lonely  evening  hours,  the  door  would  open, 
and  his  kind  face  appear.  Then,  sitting  down  amongst  us, 
he  would  listen  to  all  we  had  to  tell,  and  to  all  our  anxious 
thoughts  and  fears. 

'  Then,  quietly  turning  to  "  Jesus  in  the  midst,"  he  would 
lay  the  whole  case  out  before  Him,  whose  strong  arm  and 
loving  heart  were  as  near  to  the  sufferer,  at  the  Antipodes, 
as  they  were  to  us. 

*  This  informal  turning  from  the  friends  seen  to  the 
Great  Unseen  but  ever-present  Friend,  was  a  characteristic 
of  Mr.  Eobertson,  which  all  who  knew  him  cannot  fail  to 
recognise.  It  was  very  real  to  him,  the  Lord's  hearkening 
and  hearing,  when  those  who  feared  Him  and  thought  upon 
His  name  were  talking  one  to  another. 

'  There  was  always  something  very  restful  and  refreshing 
in  his  little  visits.  Xever  unduly  protracted,  they  were,  at 
tlie  same  time,  never  hurried.  He  seemed  always  to  have 
leisure  to  let  us  unburden  our  hearts — a  delicate  process,  to 
which  any  sign  of  haste  or  impatience  effectually  puts  a  stop. 

'  He  knew  well  how  to  adapt  himself  to  a  sufferer's  vary- 
ing moods — sometimes  being  tender  and  sympathetic,  and 
again  playful  and  cheery,  by  his  humorous  sallies  putting 
to  flight  the  depression  often  attending  constant  suffering  . 
then  sweetly  leading  away  her  thoughts  above  and  beyond 
herself  to  Jesus  and  His  love,  he  would  in  the  end  leave  her 
as  bright  and  happy  as  himself.' 


FAMILY    BEREAVEMENTS.  221 

As  to  his  own  loss,  he  was,  as  he  said,  '  trying  to 
forget,  yet  vowing  never  to  forget.'  In  conversation 
with  Mr.  Moody  about  it,  he  applied  to  Mrs.  Eobertson 
words  already  familiar :  '  She  "  lived  so  near  Heaven 
that,  when  she  died,  she  had  not  far  to  go."  ' 

To  a  daughter,  after  Mrs.  Eobertson's  death : — 

'January  1875. 

*  My  veiy  dear  M , — He  will  not  suffer  us  to  be  tried 

above  what  we  are  able  to  bear.  Had  we  ever  any  con- 
ception of  what  a  loving  Friend  and  Father  He  is,  till 
these  surges  of  sorrow  flung  us  on  His  sympathy  !  Surely 
the  precious  tie,  now  sundered  on  earth,  has  knit  us  all  to 
the  family  in  heaven  !  What  would  become  of  us  if  we  did 
not  pillow  our  hearts  on  the  Eternal  Heart ! ' 

His  eldest  daughter,  Mrs.  Young's  health,  to  which 
he  refers  in  a  note  quoted,  had  been  for  some  time 
giving  grave  cause  for  concern,  and  was  now  prolongino- 
the  tension  that  was  trying  him. 

The  following  period  of  trial  and  bereavement  will 
be  best  recorded  in  his  own  words : — 

'Glasgow,  29th  January  1875. 
'  The  Heavenly  Eefiner  makes  use  of  such  kindness  as 
yours  in  tempering  the  heat.  As  with  Elijah  on  Carmel, 
the  answer  is  first  by  fire,  and  then  by  rain.  First  the  fiery 
trial,  then  the  descent  of  the  Spirit's  grace,  as  rain  upon 
the  mown  grass.  I  have  been  sleeping  somewhat  better 
since  coming  here.  Not  sure  whether  I  may  venture  to  the 
home  pulpit  next  Sabbath.   .  .  .  'VYhat  most  perplexes  and 


222  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

dismays  us  here  will  enhance  our  happiness  to  all  eternity, 
.  .  .  It  is  a  blessed  hope.  "Without  these  hedges  of  thorns 
on  the  right  hand  and  the  left,  would  we  not  have  missed 
the  way  to  heaven  1 

' .  .  ,  The  Lord  liveth,  blessed  be  our  Rock — 
'  As  God,  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost, 
*  As  man,  to  sympathize  to  the  uttermost. 
'  "I  will  fear  no  evil,  for  Thou  art  with  me." 
' .  .  .  Best  wishes  for  the  sick  man.'  ^ 

'  Edinburgh,  18th  February. 
'  Every  day  seems  rather  to  augment  the  blank  here. 
'  It  is  ever  present,  ever  pressing ; 
'  But  she  is  singing  while  we  sigh. 
'  I  am  hastening  out  to  the  prayer-meeting,  to  try  to  speak 
of  our  bitter  waters  sweetened. 

'  By  and  by  the  Marahs  will  be  all  past,  and  there  will 
be  fulness  of  joy,  without  mixture — without  interruption — 
without  end. 

'Am  keeping  as  busy  as  the  broken  wing  allows.  The 
dear  lassies  here  as  kind  as  can  be.  .  .  .' 

'Edinburgh,  August  1875. 

'  I  feel  thankful  that  you  are  relieved  from  anxiety  in 

reward  to .     I  wish  I  could  say  the  same  as  to  our  dear 

M.'s  case.  .  .  .  Oh,  to  view  all  difficulties  in  the  light  of 
the  promises,  leaving  out  all  ifs,  and  buts,  and  whys.  .  .  . 

' .  .  .  No  Gethsemane  without  its  strengthening  angel — 
else  my  strength  and  hope  had  perished. 

''  A  poor  man  working  from  home,  who  was  thought  dying,  and 
whom  he  had  been  called  to  visit  during  the  early  days  of  his 
bereavement. 


FAMILY   BEREAVEMENTS.  223 

'  During  these  two  days  past  the  surges  of  anxiety  have 
been  swelling  in  regard  to  our  darling  Mary.  She  had 
another  startling  return  of  illness  suddenly  on  Sabbath 
forenoon,  during  church  time,  when  she  Avas  sitting  quietly 
by  the  fireside.  No  proximate  cause  .  .  .  the  weakness 
that  has  followed  proportionate.  The  rallying  power  much 
less.  We  were  just  getting  arrangements  into  shape  for 
Bournemouth.  Now  on  the  front  of  the  veil  is  written, 
"  Stand  still  and  see." 

'  You  know  the  heart-sickness, 
'  You  will  help  us  to  bear. 

*  "We  must  "  tarry  the  Lord's  leisure  "  ere  anything  can  be 
done.  .  .  .' 

The  invalid  was  able  to  go  to  Bournemouth  for 
the  winter,  where  her  father  visited  her  the  following 
spring,  after  fulfilling  some  evangelistic  engagements 
in  London. 

We  now  resume  Mr.  Balfour's  story : — 

'  It  was  my  privilege  frequently  to  go  with  Mr.  Eobert- 
son  to  evangelistic  meetings  in  different  parts  of  the  country, 
and  then  I  used  to  enjoy  and  be  refreshed  by  his  sanctified 
conversation.  Once  I  was  with  him  in  London  when  a 
series  of  evangelistic  meetings  were  being  held  for  about 
a  fortnight.  Wherever  he  went  he  was  welcomed,  but  his 
addresses  to  children,  which  were  probably  unrivalled,  were 
most  appreciated.  I  remember  on  one  occasion,  when  stand- 
ing in  a  church  packed  by  children,  he  got  their  attention  at 
the  very  first  by  beginning  with  a  dumb  show.  He  repeated 
the  action  twice  over  without  saying  a  word.     He  crossed 


224  JAMES  ROBERTSON. 

his  arms,  pointed  to  himself  and  then  pointed  upwards. 
After  doing  so  he  said  that  a  deaf  and  dumb  girl  had  recently 
come  into  his  study  and  made  that  motion,  by  which  she 
meant  to  say  that  Christ  was  crucified  on  the  cross — for  her 
— and  that  He  had  afterwards  gone  up  to  heaven.  It  added 
to  the  interest  of  the  story  when  a  deaf  and  dumb  girl  in  the 
church  screamed.  She  understood  the  sign  although  she 
heard  nothing  that  was  said,  but  cried  with  that  inarticulate 
cry  with  which  the  dumb  give  expression  to  their  feelings 
when  excited.' 

On  Mr.  Eobertson's  return  to  Edinburgh  he  found 

the  elder  of  his  two  daughters  there,  Eliza,  prostrate 

with  fever. 

He  writes  to-  a  sister  abroad  : — 

'March  1876. 

'  Your  tender  sympathy  and  "William's  were  truly  valued, 
and  sorely  needed.  Saturday  and  yesterday  have  been  sad 
days  to  us.  On  Saturday  morning,  sickness,  with  subsequent 
deep  sinking  and  heavy  moanings,  for  many  hours — then 
followed  shiverings,  a  very  bad  symptom.  The  methods 
used  for  checking  these  seem  to  have  been  blest,  for  they 
have  not  returned  to-day,  but  there  are  some  tokens  of 
jaundice  having  set  in.  .  .  .  The  beloved  sufi'erer  is  sweetly 
unmurmuring  and  calm.  I  have  felt  tossed  from  billow  to 
billow  as  on  a  stormy  sea. 

'  But  our  best  Friend  has  never  done  me  'an  unkind  thing 
all  my  days,  and  this  is  not  one. 

'  Help  me  to  take  loving  views  of  Him  who  directs  the 
storm.  You  will  both  pray  without  ceasing  for  me,  and 
write  as  often  as  you  can.' 


FAMILY    BEREAVEMENTS.  225 

To  another,  later: — 

'.  .  .  The  doctor  has  just  left.  No  cheer.  Another  of 
these  sad  shivering  fits  came  on,  and  since  it  passed  off  higher 

fever  has  followed,  and  sharp,  quick  respiration.     has 

the  impression  the  crisis  has  not  yet  come.     Little  strength 
left  in  my  darling  to  meet  it. 

'  I  understand  better  the  Syrophenician's  cr}^,  "  Lord,  help 
?«e,"by  helping  7ie?';  and  the  pleading  of  Jairus  for  his  child. 

'  She  has  told  me  she  is  leaning  on  His  love. 

'  Pray  that  He  may  be  our  arm  every  hour,  to  which 
clinging  we  shall  not  faint. — Your  much  distressed,  .   .  . 

'  J.  R.' 

The  desolate  dreariness  of  this  time  to  one  so  sensit- 
ively anxious  in  his  concern  both  for  Eliza  and  for 
those  who  were  watching,  it  would  be  hard  to  express. 
Much  he  needed  —  absolutely  needed — his  Divine 
Eefuge,  and  it  was  well  he  had  it. 

After  alternating  hopes  and  fears,  and  amid  all 
gospel  comfort,  one  more  helpful  life — and  a  briglit 
one — was  taken  from  his  household — the  one  tliat 
had  been  to  him  for  a  right  hand,  and  had  also  chiefly 
taken  the  place  and  duties  of  her  departed  mother. 

Mr.  Eobertson's  regular  Newington  ministry  was 
thus  broken  in  upon  by  closely  following  years  of 
grief,  during  great  part  of  which  he  was  necessarily 
much  absent  from  home,  and  specially  from  the  time 
of  this  daughter's  death. 

Whilst  he  was  passing  through  tliese  sorrows,  and 
P 


226  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

resident  chiefly  in  Glasgow,  at  the  house  of  his  son- 
in-law,  Mr.  Joseph  C.  Eobertson,  which  was  much 
more  than  in  name  the  home  of  his  later  clays,  many 
opportunities  arose  for  such  incidental  work  as  his 
strength  could  cope  with.  The  number  of  these 
opportunities  gradually  increased  ;  and  the  variety  of 
scene  and  circumstance,  along  with  the  uniforndy 
hearty  welcome  he  received,  did  not  a  little  to  cheer 
him  under  his  trials. 

'  Not  that  lie  lost  interest  by  any  means  in  his  own 
people '  (adds  Mr.  Yoimg),  '  but  a  wider  sphere  meantime 
drew  biui  out,  by  its  many  opportiniities  for  specially 
interesting  work  ;  and  be  obeyed  the  call  for  service  which 
few  could  render  so  well  as  he,  and  which  suited  his  state 
of  liealth  and  temperament  at  the  time  better  tban  the 
systematic,  and  sometimes  perhaps  routine  work  inseparable 
from  close  attention  to  one  congregation,  and  certainly 
opened  up  a  means  of  relief  to  his  burdened  heart  which 
he  might  not  have  had  in  the  wonted  services  at  borne.' 

To  Jessie,  the  only  daughter  left  at  home,  her  father 
clung  with  intense  tenderness.  The  youngest  of  six, 
she  had  been  a  good  deal  the  companion  of  both 
parents,  whilst  the  elder  ones  were  occupied  at  school, 
and  had  artlessly  and  unconsciously  taken  in  much 
of  the  goodness  and  elevation  of  both,  and  was  '  not 
of  the  world,'  without  being  aware  of  it. 

Whenever  the  last  sad  scenes  were  over,  Mr. 
Eobertson  took  her  from  home  for  change.  Her  healtb, 
however,  had  been  severely  shaken,  and   as   feverish 


FAMILY    BEREAVEMENTS.  227 

symptoms  began  to  manifest  themselves,  she  was  taken 
to  her  sister's  home  in  Glasgow,  where,  for  many  weeks, 
her  troubled  father  watched  the  life  on  which  not  only 
his  natural  affections,  but  also  his  home  and  work  in 
Edinburgh,  so  much  depended. 

'13th  April  1876. 
'  Our  hopes  have  been  driven  back.     Let  the  Lord  have 
His  own  way  with  us,  for  He  is  love.     Our  darling  Jessie 
has  not  improved.  .   .   .   J\Iy  whole  life  seems  blighted. 
'  "Though  He  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  Him." 
'  You  will  not  cease  to  help  us  to  put  the  heavy  case  into 
the  Hands  that  were  nailed  to  the  cross  for  us,  and  to  leave 
it  there.     With  a  heart  full  of  anxiety  and  anguish, — Your 
ever  affectionate  ...  J.  R.' 

Meanwhile  his  eldest  daughter,  Mrs.  Young,  whose 
declining  health  had  been  affected  for  the  worse  by 
the  loss  of  her  sister,  had  come  from  Bournemouth  to 
Norwood,  London,  in  the  warmer  weather  of  April  ; 
the  kind  sisterly  friend  who  had  been  with  her  all 
winter,  still  accompanying  her.  For  two  daj's  slie 
seemed  to  revive  a  little,  but  the  end  had  come. 

We  quote  the  sacred  and  tender  story  written  at 
the  time  by  the  friend  (Mrs.  C.)  in  whose  house  she 
died  : — 

'27th  Aprd  1876. 

'.  .  .  Darling  Mary  was  here  when  the  Lord  came  for 
her.  .  .   . 

'  My  sister  and  I  called  for  them  with  the  carriage  at  1 2 
o'clock,  and  Mary  seemed    truly  happy  to  come  with   us. 


228  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

She  enjoyed  the  drive  so  much,  was  full  of  admiration  of 
the  glorious  day,  the  blossoming  trees,  and  the  pleasant  air. 

'  The  brightest  flowers  were  gathered  to  make  the  table 
pretty  for  the  sweet  fragile  guest,  and  she  admired  them 
much.' 

After  luncheon,  while  passing  from  one  room  to  another, 
.  .  'the  sad  stroke  came  so  overpoweringly,  that  before 
the  doctor  could  come,  the  gentle  spirit  had  passed  away ; 
while  dear  Miss  Y.,  our  good  Mary  Anne,  and  I,  supported 
her,  sitting  on  the  floor,  near  the  parlour  door — we  dared 
not  move  her  for  doing  harm.  She  was  very  soon  un- 
conscious, and  long  we  sat,  unwilling  to  believe  it  was  over, 
and  yet  feeling  that  she  was  not  there ;  until  the  doctor 
came,  and,  with  M.  A.,  carried  her  up  to  the  room  .  .  . 
which  is  now  our  hest  room. 

'  She  looked  like  the  purest  marble,  with  an  expression 
of  tender  graciousness  and  sweet  content  most  consoling  to 
look  on ;  but  oh !  to  see  the  lately  animated,  beautiful  face 
pale  in  death,  while  the  flowers  were  bright  on  the  table, 
and  the  half-finished  fruit  on  her  plate  ! 

'  The  text  of  the  day  was :  "  He  led  them  forth  by  the 
right  way,  that  they  might  go  to  a  city  of  habitation." 

'  M.  A.  laid  soft  white  blossoms  in  the  dear  hands,  as  they 
lay  folded  on  her  breast.  .  .  .' 

To  this  friend  Mr.  Eobertson  wrote : — 

'28th  April  1876. 

'  My  dear  Sister, — "  The  Lord  deal  very  kindly  with  you, 
as  ye  have  dealt  with  the  dead,  and  with  me." 

'  It  has  been  a  sevenfold  heated  furnace — heated,  not  by 


FAMILY  BEEEAVEMENTS.  229 

the  "wrath  of  the  King,"  but  by  His  love.  The  thought 
on  which  I  rest  in  connection  with  all  the  circumstances  is, 
that  what  Omniscient  Love  had  planned,  Omniscient  Love 
brought  to  pass,  in  the  way,  and  place,  and  time  which  was 
best  for  our  profit,  and  for  His  praise. 

'  Oakpark  is  now  more  than  ever  endeared  to  us  all.  Our 
hearts  cannot  cease  to  turn  to  it  as  a  hallowed  home.  That 
you  should  have  ministered  so  tenderly  to  the  last  moments 
of  our  darling  Mary,  the  good  Lord  bless  you  for  it.  I 
am  often  on  the  brink  of  being  "  swallowed  up "  by  these 
"sorrows  upon  sorrows."  I  can  only  hang  in  utter  help- 
lessness upon  Himself — no  other  righteousness — no  other 
strength.  You  will  continue  to  help  me,  by  your  prayers, 
to  say,  "  Even  so,  Father  "  ? ' 

A  mournful  company  returned  to  Edinburgh,  where 
tliey  laid  their  treasure  in  the  Grange  Cemetery, 
beside  those  already  'gathered.' 

To  friends  abroad,  on  the  funeral  day,  Mr.  Robertson 
wrote  : — 

'Glasgow,  28th  April  1876. 

*  You  will  be  getting  about  this  time  the  sad  announcement 
which  good  Mr.  M.  wrote  for  me. 

' .  .  .  "  Earth  is  a  desert  drear  !  " 

'  Our  desolation  deep  !  Christ's  consolation  deeper  ! 

'.  .  .  Oh,  precious  treasure.  .  .  He  gave  thee.  He  took 
thee,  and  He  will  restore  thee  ! 

'  3  o'clock.  This  is  about  the  hour  when  our  cave  of 
Machpelah  will  be  reopening,  to  receive  all  that  was  mortal 
of  that  dear,  fine  form.  .  .  . 


230  JAMES   EOBERTSON. 

'  The  doctor  interdicted  my  attempting  to  go  througli.  I 
have  been  in  bed  most  part  for  some  days. 

'  The  effect  of  all  this  on  dear  Jessie  has  been  more  pro- 
strating—especially at  first ;  now  she  is  calm  and  trustful. 
Her  inestimable  life  has  been  trembling  in  the  balance. 
We  trust  the  Lord  is  having  mercy — not  on  her  only,  but 
on  us  also,  lest  Ave  should  have  sorrow  upon  sorrow.  .  .  . 

'  "Deep  in  unfathomable  mines 
Of  never-failing  skill, 
He  treasures  up  His  bright  designs, 
And  works  His  sovereign  will." 

'  As  our  treasures  accumulate  in  heaven,  our  affections  are 
more  closely  drawn  thither.  What  a  heaven  it  is  !  The 
many  mansions — the  welcome  home — the  Father's  smile — 
the  presence  of  Jesus — the  bright  river  of  the  Spirit's  grace 
— the  companionship  of  the  angels  and  of  the  redeemed — 
the  perfect  service,  and  the  perfect  rest ! ' 

To  another  friend  : — 

'6th  May  1876. 

'.  .  .  "Mary — Rabboni — " 

'  "  As  soon  as  '  the  other  Mary '  heard  that " — "  the  Master 
is  come,  and  calleth  for  thee  " — "  she  arose  quickly  and  came 
unto  Ilim." 

'  Wasn't  it  at  the  very  time  when  his  soul  was  so  "  cast 
down  within  him,"  that  he  called  God  his  "exceeding 
joy"  .  .  .? 

'  I  would  have  written  day  by  day,  had  I  known  well 
what  to  say  about  our  darling  Jessie  ;  but  no  sooner  are  our 
hopes  lifted  up,  than  they  are  cast  down  again.  And  this 
is  the  case  to-day.     The  temperature  higher  than  for  some 


FAMILY   BEREAVEMENTS.  231 

time.  We  thought  there  had  been  a  crossing  of  the  bar, 
but  it  looks  otherwise  at  present.   .  .   . 

'  Assure  dear of  my  true  sympathizing  love  under 

his  infirmities.  With  all  the  fulness  of  sympathy  treasured 
up  for  us  in  Jesus  by  the  way,  and  with  the  bright  prospect 
before  us  of  a  joyful  reunion  for  ever,  in  glory,  at  the  end, 
have  we  not  enough  to  change  the  spirit  of  heaviness  into 
the  garment  of  praise  ? 

'  My  heart  blesses  you  for  going  on  the  28th. 
'  "  I  will  be  a  God  to  you." 
'  "  God  is  love." 
'  That  is,  I  will  be  to  you  love,  nothing  but  love.     Doesn't 
it  throw  a  glowing  tint  over  all  His  dealings  ? 

'  "  Though  the  fig-tree  shall  not  blossom  .  .  . 
Yet  will  I  rejoice  in  the  Lord."  .  .   .' 

A  season  of  increasing  hope  was  allowed  as  summer 
drew  on.  The  invalid  rallied,  and  visits  designed  to 
secure  gradual  change  were  made  to  Bothwell,  and 
Pitlochry,  and  Braemar,  while  arrangements  were  being 
made  to  spend  the  winter  abroad.  Mr.  Eobertson  was 
a  good  deal  with  her,  both  on  her  account  and  his  own. 

From  Salisbury  Eoad  (10th  Jnly)  he  wrote  to  a 
niece  of  the  necessity  of  being  at  home  on  two  success- 
ive Sabbaths,  adding  : — 

'  I  will  be  glad  between  times  to  take  a  run  to  you  if 
possible.  For  these  rooms  that  used  to  ring  with  the  music 
of  such  happy  voices — so  silent  now — it  touches — oh,  so 
deeply  ! — the  fountain  of  tears.  But  the  Hand  that  has  taken 
our  treasures  is  the  same  Hand  that  opens  our  eyes  to  see 


232  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

the  infinite  blessedness  of  a  sanctified  sorrow.  What  links 
we  have  to  the  heavenly  home,  where  we  hope  to  be  gathered 
ere  long — nnbroken  households. 

'  Mrs.  W.  spent  yesterday  with  us  (in  church  and  here), 
and  many  .  .  .  memories  were  revived.  B.  was  with  her — 
a  choice  son  of  a  choice  mother.  ,  .  . 

' ,  .  .  Our  anxieties  and  sorrows  are  not  out  of  God's  plan. 
They  are  necessary  parts  of  it.  "  He  led  them  forth  by  the 
right  way."  .   .  . 

'  The  Lord  often  suff'ers  us  to  be  driven  into  a  corner,  that 
we  may  know  experimentally  how  necessary  He  is  to  us. 
But  His  heart  of  mercy  can  never  be  unkind.  .  .  . 

' .  .  .  You  will  understand  how  we  are  pressed.  "In  the 
world,  tribulation ;  in  Me,  peace."  .   .  . 

'  "What  though  our  way  be  hedged  on  every  side  Avith 
thorns  if  it  keep  us  in  the  way  to  glory.  .   .  .' 

With  reference  to  Mr.  M'Dowall,  then  under  severe 
paralysis,  who  seemed  to  be  just  on  the  margin  of  the 
river,  though  he  was  not  yet  to  be  called  to  cross  it : — 

'Edinburgh,  July  1876. 

'  How  your  heart  would  have  melted,  had  jon  heard  at  our 

prayer-meeting  last  night  such  tenderness  of  intercession  for 

you  all.     Even  from  the  lips  of  such  as  did  not  know  him 

well ;  but  he  is  greatly  loved  by  my  people.  ...  I  trust  the 

excitement  he  seemed  under,  when  I  had  to  tear  myself  away, 

left  no  bad  effect,  and  that  his  heart  continues  the  gushing 

fountain  of  many  glad, bright  thoughts.    Will  these  verses  help? 

'  "In  the  multitude  (the  conflict) 
Of  my  thoughts  within  me, 
Tliy  comforts  delight  my  soul." 


FAMILY   BEREAVEMENTS.  233 

"  My  times  are  in  Thy  hand." 

"  We  trust  not  in  ourselves, 
But  in  God,  who  raiseth  the  dead." 

"  It  is  the  Lord,  whose  mighty  skill 
Can,  from  our  sorrows,  raise 
Matter  eternity  to  fill 

With  ever-loving  praise." 

'  "  Heaviness  in  the  heart  of  a  man  maketh  it  stoop  ;  but  a 
good  word  (the  good  word  of  God  in  the  gospel)  maketh  it 
glad." 

'"The  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God,"  viz.  "the 
glad  news  about  the  glory  of  the  good  God." 

'"Thy  statutes  have  been  my  songs  in  the  house  of  my 
pilgrimage." 

'  "  I  have  waited  for  Thy  salvation,  O  Lord." 

'  Will  you  ask  him  what  word  he  has  to  send  me  to  cheer 
me  in  my  loneliness  here  *?  You  will  assure  him  of  my  un- 
ceasing affectionate  remembrance  of  him.  .  .  .' 

This  is  a  small  indication  of  an  almost  daily  minis- 
tration, that  went  on  for  several  weeks,  during  his 
own  heavy  anxieties,  by  a  sick-bed  at  which,  for  the 
most  part,  he  could  not  be  personally  present,  and 
at  which  his  constant  remembrance  and  scriptural 
suggestions  were  no  small  cheer,  both  to  the  sufferer 
and  the  anxious  attendants. 

With  unexpected  revival  of  strength — • 

*  Why  should  it  be  thought  a  thing  incredible  with  you 
that  God  should  raise  the  dead  ? 

'  I  will  feed  my  flock,  and  I  will  cause  them  to  He  doivn, 
saith  the  Lord.' 


234  JAMES    KOBERTSON. 

To  the  sufferer  himself  : — 

'  Braemar,  17th  August  1876. 

'  May  I  venture  on  a  line  or  two  to  yourself  now,  Avhen  I 
am  so  glad  and  grateful  to  know  that  you  are  so  much 
revived  1  The  answer  to  prayer  for  you,  "  through  the  thanks- 
giving of  many,"  now  "  redounds  to  the  glory  of  God." 
Haven't  you  been  learning  a  new  mystery  of  Christ,  that 
His  promise  is  to  be  believed  in  spite  of  all  adverse 
appearances  ? 

'  At  His  coming  again,  if  not  sooner,  these  knots  shall  be 
all  untied,  these  riddles  all  explained,  and  these  clouds  all 
cleared  away.  AVe  shall  see  the  good  of  apparent  evil,  and 
the  life  that  lay  in  the  bosom  of  death. 

'  I  have  been  labouring  to  turn  away  my  eyes  from  the 
Avaves  to  the  Rock,  while  trying  to  sketch  a  sermon  on  Heb. 
X.  19,  20  :  "  Having  boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by 
the  blood  of  Jesus — and  having  an  High  Priest  over  the 
house  of  God." 

'  These  two  things  embolden  us  in  going  to  God  amid  the 
full  blaze  of  His  holiness, — The  Open  Door,  and  The  Friend 
to  welcome  us  when  we  go  in. 

'  1st.  The  open  door — "  by  the  blood  of  Jesus  " — by  the 
outpoured  Life — on  which  the  Father  looks,  and  righteously 
says  to  all  who  are  pointing  to  the  same,  "  Live  ;  "  and  then, 
2nd,  The  Friend  to  welcome  us  Avithin  the  veil — Jesus 
Himself — the  ever-living  Priest,  leading  us  in  by  His  Spirit, 
and  presenting  Himself  for  us — our  all-glorious  Substitute 
and  Intercessor,  keeping  our  place  for  us  in  heaven  till  we 
get  there.  Are  not  these  sure  grounds  of  confidence  abund- 
antly enough  for  us  when  we  leave  the  body,  and  pass,  as 


FAMILY   BEREAVEMENTS.  235 

naked  spirits,  into  the  open — the  immediate — the  propitious 
presence  of  the  Holy  One  1 

'  Can  there  be  anything  now,  on  God's  side,  against  any 
sinner  entering  in  by  tliis  way  1  Is  it  not  as  free  to  us  the 
first  time  as  the  thousandth,  and  the  thousandth  time  as  the 
first  1 

'  Oh,  how  immensely  does  our  estimate  of  Jesus  fall  short 
of  His  preciousness  !  It  must  be  so  for  ever,  since  His 
preciousness  is  infinite. 

'  Shall  we  not  be  thankful  for  our  broken  hearts,  since 
they  are  in  the  hands  of  so  skilful  and  so  tender  an  Up- 
binder  '2 ' 


CHAPTEE    XIV. 

*  Cloulis  after  ISlain.' 

1876-1877. 

Arrangements  were  now  made,  by  which  Mr.  Robert- 
son obtained  leave  of  absence  from  Newington  for  the 
winter,  in  order  to  accompany  his  daughter  Jessie  to  San 
Eemo.  He  was  cheered  by  the  hope  that  her  heaUh 
might  be  benefited  by  a  stay  in  that  sunny  region  ;  and 
he  gladly  undertook  the  congenial  work  of  ministering 
to  the  invalids  resorting  thither,  and  conducting  the 
services  of  the  station  maintained  there  by  the  United 
Presbyterian  Church  for  their  benefit. 

The  journey  south  was  taken  in  October — not 
without  much  concern,  because  the  restoration  of  her 
on  whose  account  chiefly  he  was  going  had  been  so 
very  partial. 

To  the  friend  in  London  in  whose  house  he  stayed 
on  the  way  he  writes : — 

'  Paris,  19th  October  1876. 

'  Dear  kind  Mrs.  C, — Much  you  are  in  my  thoughts  and 
in  my  heart.  The  memory  of  your  goodness  follows  us 
continually. 


'clouds  after  rain.'  237 

'  May  your  tabernacle  ever  abide  in  peace,  under  "  the 
goodwill  of  Him  who  dwelt  in  the  bush."  The  journey  has 
been  accomplished  without  any  apparent  harm,  though  our 
darling  child  has  been  considerably  exhausted.  There  was 
bright  sunshine  all  around  us  by  the  way,  and  there  is 
always  bright  sunshine  for  the  heart  in  nearness  to  the 
Saviour.  We  are  always  sure  to  get  it  by  going  to  Him,  and 
Ave  can  always  get  to  Him  through  the  Word,  and  by  yield- 
ing to  the  drawings  of  the  Comforter.' 

AVhile  he  was  on  his  journey,  the  sick-bed  in  Alloa 
was  not  forgotten,  though  he  had  enough  otherwise  to 
fill  his  heart  and  thoughts.     He  wrote  from  Paris : — 

*  I  hope  to  hear,  before  leaving,  of  your  dear  invalid. 
May  I  send  him  this  keepsake  text,  the  echo  of  which  has 
been  ringing  in  my  mind  since  standing  by  I^apoleon's 
tomb  :  "  Yea,  He  shall  live."  What  a  well-spring  of  comfort, 
that  over  the  heart  which  beats  with  infinite  love  is  a  breast- 
plate that  is  never  oif,  bearing  our  names.  It  sends  a  gleam 
of  sunshine  through  the  darkest  cloud.' 

The  arrival  at  San  Eemo  was  announced  : — 

*  31st  October. 
'  "  They  of  Italy  salute  you."  .  .  .  Dear  invalid  consider- 
ably fatigued,  but  recovering  slowly.' 

To  his  daughter  at  home  he  says : — 

'  4th  November. 
'.  .  .  My  anxieties  about  our  darling  child  are  more  than  I 
can  utter. 


238  JAMES   ROBERTSON. 

'  Grand,  solemn,  almost  awful  petition  that,  "  Thy  will  be 
done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven." 

'  "  My  God,  my  Father,  while  I  stray 

Far  from  my  home,  on  life's  rough  way, 
Oh  teach  me  from  my  heart  to  say, 

Thy  will  be  done." 

'  If  the  joy  of  Jesus  is  double  compensation  for  all  He 
suffered,  then  surely  also  will  ours  be.  For  every  pain  and 
sigh  there  will  soon  be  myriads  of  AUelujahs.  The  blessed- 
ness of  that  rest  will  exceed,  beyond  compare,  the  toils  and 
the  conflicts  of  the  way.  "  I  will  render  double  unto 
thee." ' 

To  Mr.  M'Dowall,  still  in  great  weakness : — 

'  1st  December. 

'  The  Lord  bless  you,  my  beloved  brother,  for  your  kind 
word  in  season,  just  received.  "  Wait  on  the  Lord,  and  He 
shall  strengthen  thine  heart."  He  walks  the  billows  with 
us,  and  we  hear  Him  say,   "  It  is  I." 

'  May  I  send  you  in  return  this  cheer  :  "In  all  things  we 
are  more  than  conquerors,  through  Him  who  loved  us." 

'  It  is  not  said  we  shall  he,  but  "  loe  are."  We  overcome 
our  foes  before  they  come. 

'He  will  "  make  us  kings  and  priests." 

'  He  "  hath  croivned  us  with  loving-kindness,"  to  tell  up 
yonder,  to  "  principalities  and  powers,"  how  faithful  His 
love  has  been,  and  how  we  have  discovered  it,  in  the  furnace 
and  amid  the  flames.  Will  not  this  be  everlasting  wealth  ? 
May  we  not  well  be  grateful  to  Him  that  He  is  putting  us 
now  in  the  way  of  learning  it  % 


'CLOUDS    AFTER   RAIN.'  239 

I  cannot  hear  of  you  too  often.  I  ^yisll  it  every  day. 
]\Iuch  of  His  tender  mercy  have  we  seen  and  tasted  together, 
and  He  keeps  His  best  to  the  last.  "  Light  is  sown  "  for 
you.  Eternity  with  its  unutterable  joys,  and  your  entailed 
inheritance  safe — infallibly  safe  in  your  Redeemer's  keeping. 
Are  not  His  pleadings  for  you  the  sowing  and  the  storing  up 
of  bliss  for  you  ?  Shall  you  not  get  back  the  priceless  seed- 
corn,  multiplied  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  1  Oh, 
does  not  our  loveliest  music  fall  flat,  compared  with  the 
praises  due  to  "  Him  Avho  loved  us  "  ? 

'  My  darling  Jessie  continues  much  as  she  was. 

*  Neither  sun  nor  stars  for  a  good  long  while  appeared,  but 
we  are  "casting  out  our  anchors,  and  longing  for  the  day." 

'  The  work  that  lies  to  my  hand  here  among  the  sick  and 
sorrowful  is  intensely  interesting.  Two  discourses  every 
Sabbath,  besides  three  others  in  Bible-reading  meetings, 
during  the  week.  You  will  be  asking  much  blessing  for  us 
— a  loosened  hold  of  earth,  and  a  tightened  grasp  of  Christ 
and  of  heaven.' 

To  another : — 

'  20th  December. 

'  .  .  .  Jessie  has  been  sending  Christmas  cards  to  all  her 
special  friends,  in  place  of  letters,  which  she  is  quite  unable 
to  write.  The  putting  them  in  the  envelopes  has  exhausted 
her.  You  may  judge  how  weak  she  is,  yet  how  sweetly 
patient  and  happy  in  the  love  of  God.     All  the  length  I 

have  got  Dr.  to  go  is,  "  Well,  I  daresay  she  is  a  little 

better  than  she  was  when  she  came  out."  .  .  .  The  Lord 
raises  up  kind  friends  here,  some  of  them  total  strangers, 
till  drawn  to  her  by  her  loveliness  and  Christ's  love. 


240  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

'I  long  to  hear  particulars  of  dear  .     May  I  send 

him  2  Thess.  ii.  16,  17.  My  heart  often  hovers  about  his 
room  and  his  bed.     "  Sweet  to  lie  passive." 

'  My  work  here  does  much  to  sustain  me.  Six  services 
now  every  week  —  one  of  them  peculiarly  touching,  for 
native  children.  I  address  them  through  an  accomplished 
interpreter.' 

'3rd  January  1877. 

'.  .  .  .  Every  spare  moment  from  Jessie  is  filled  up  with 
my  work,  and  I  can  only  send  assurances  of  constant  love, 
with  all  the  greetings  of  the  season,  in  trite  phrase,  but 
with  tenfold  earnestness.  Eound  the  cape  of  this  season 
what  ships  of  memory  come  floating,  freighted  with  loving 
recollections  of  those  who  have  reached  the  "desired  haven  " 
and  the  "golden  city." 

'  This  work  is  full  of  interest.  I  wish  I  had  time  to  tell 
you  all.  It  would  melt  your  heart  to  hear  the  native 
children,  at  the  children's  meeting,  singing  in  their  own 
tongue,  "  Safe  in  the  arms  of  Jesus,"  to  our  own  familiar 
tune — 

'  "  Siciiro  in  man  di  Cristo, 
Sicuro  nel  suo  cor, 
L'anima  mia  reposa 
AH'ombra  deU'amor. " 

'  Oh,  pray  for  "  strengthening  with  all  might  unto  all 
patience," ' 

'  2Gth  January. 

'  Our  darling  has  been  under  an  attack  of  congestion, 
caused  by  the  sudden  change  of  Aveather  and  the  keen  east 
winds.  .  .  .  Your  hearts  will  be  with  us,  apprehending  the 


'clouds  after  rain.'  241 

depth  of  our  anxieties,  and  pleading  for  us.  .  .  .  How 
sweetly  calm  she  is  !  So  like  her  own  precious  mother  and 
yours. 

'  "Calm  me,  my  God,  and  keep  me  calm, 
When  such  sad  breezes  blow."  .  .  . 

'"Is  anything  too  hard  for  the  Lord  ?  "  ' 

'  1 3th  February. 

'  Go  on,  dear  ,  believingly,   lovingly  spreading  our 

case  before  the  Lord.  Symptoms  this  morning  less  favour- 
able. .  .  .  Our  darling  Jessie's  patience  is  a  wonderful 
illustration  of  the  ripeness  of  her  Christian  character,  and 
complete  surrender  to  God.  Will  praying  friends  help  us 
to  lean  hard  on  the  arm  that  never  wearies  and  is  never 
withdrawn  1 ' 

To  Mrs.  C. : — 

'  14th  February  1877. 

'  ...  In  such  warmth  of  kindnesses  as  yours  she  recognises 
God's  own  love,  and  they  taste  the  sweeter  because  she  finds 
God  in  them  all.  Blessed  be  His  name  for  anything  that 
shuts  us  up  to  treat  the  truths  of  the  Bible  as  realities, 
especially  the  great  truth  that  centres  in  a  circle  round  the 
cross.  How  it  lifts  us  above  all  circumstances  of  time,  and 
place,  and  change,  giving  us  a  resting-place  that  is  permanent 
in  the  midst  of  all  that  is  passing  and  perishing ;  and  the 
more  we  look  at  it,  the  more  we  are  filled  with  a  calm  and 
satisfying  gladness.  .  .  . 

'  Wherever  our  tent  may  be  pitched,  whatever  may  be  the 
day's  hard  march  on  towards  the  land  of  promise,  is  there 
not  always  by  our  side  a  well — the  well  of  God's  own  love  1 

'  You  will  not  cease  to  pray  for  us,  that  out  of  that  well 
Q 


242  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

our  faitli  may  drink  more  largely,  and  that  oacli  draught 
may  send  us  on  our  way  rejoicing — it  may  be  "as  sorrow- 
ful— yet  alway  rejoicing."  .  .  ,' 

To  another: — 

'  26th  February. 

'  .  .  .  How  meekly  and  how  sweetly  she  bears  it  all !  never 
a  murmur  or  a  regret.  The  crown  that  the  Lord  hath 
promised  to  them  that  endure  seems  already  to  rest  upon 
her  head ! 

'  It  is  a  long  trial  of  watching  and  of  weeping  I  have  had 
— no  Avords  can  tell  it ;  but  the  trial  is  precious,  the  comfort 
abounds,  and  even  in  the  lowest  depths  I  have  realized  the 
infinitude  of  His  love  .  .  . 

'  Our  services  are  increasingly  'cheering,  though  the  seed 
is  sown  in  many  tears.' 

Sometimes  in  the  silent  night  there  would  be  the 
sad  plaint  heard  :  ' "  Joseph  is  not,  and  Simeon  is  not, 
and  wilt  Thou  take  Benjamin  away  ? " ' 

To  THE  Congregation  at  Newington. 

'San  Eemo,  9th  January  1877. 
'  My  dear  Friends,- — Though  far  separated  from  you  by 
distance,  I  feel  very  near  to  you  in  heart.  Since  we  parted, 
not  a  day  has  passed  without  many  tender  thoughts  of  home  ; 
and  I  have  "  dragged  at  each  remove  a  lengthening  chain," 
which  binds  me  to  you  all.  You  seem  to  gather  round  me 
in  invisible  remembrance,  specially  when  we  are,  as  I  trust, 
together  "  in  the  Spirit  on  the  Lord's  day,"  and  stil]  more 
specially,  when  at  the   Lord's   table   you  are  receiving  the 


*  CLOUDS    AFTER    RAIN.'  243 

symbols  of  His  sacrifice  from  His  own  pierced  hand.  I 
expect  that  this  will  be  read  to  you  ere  you  leave  the 
sacramental  table  on  Sabbath  first.  I  have  so  arranged 
that,  as  near  as  possible  to  the  same  hour,  we  shall  be 
celebrating  the  sacred  Supper  here.  Is  it  not  a  fitting  season 
for  opening  our  hearts  to  each  other,  when  my  prayers  are 
so  much  with  you,  as  I  feel  certain  yours  will  be  with  me  ? 
The  same  Christ  in  many  souls,  giving  them  a  holy  sympathy 
and  oneness,  knitting  us  together  by  the  interchange  of 
loving  thoughts,  and  by  many  an  intertwining  thread  of 
mutual  intercession — is  not  tliis  communion?  is  not  this 
truly  "  fellowship  one  with  another  1  and  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ,  God's  Son,  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin."  While  He 
is  making  it  to  you  a  scene  of  soul  enrichment,  He  will  also, 
of  His  great  liberality,  send  from  His  royal  table  a  portion 
of  meat  in  due  season  to  us  who  are  afar  off  in  this  "dry 
and  thirsty  land."  I  "remember"  you  "from  the  land  of 
Jordan  and  the  Hermonites,"  when  "  deep  calleth  unto 
deep."  My  longing  heart  flies  over  land  and  sea  to  meet 
the  old  familiar  faces.  When  my  spirit  is  overwhelmed 
within  me,  "i7e  knoweth  the  way  that  I  take."  My  times 
are  wholly  in  His  hand ;  where  could  we  better  wish  them 
to  be  than  in  the  hand  that  was  nailed  to  the  cross  for  us ! 
So,  let  us  leave  our  burdens  at  His  feet,  and  take  a  song 
away,  falling  in  with  the  feelings  of  David  when  he  left 
the  altar  and  the  ark  behind — "  If  the  Lord  will,  He  will 
bring  me  again,  and  show  me  both  it  and  His  holy  habitation ; 
but  if  not,  here  am  I,  let  Him  do  with  me  (and  mine)  what 
seemeth  to  Him  good  1 " 

'  Oh,  let  none  of  us  think  very  hard  thoughts  of  God, 
because  of  all  that  has  befallen  us.     I  "set  to  my  seal" 


244  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

that  "  He  is  faithful  who  hath  promised ; "  that  there  are 
no  wounds  which  the  unctions  of  His  gospel  cannot  heal — ■ 
no  burdens  which  He  does  not  strengthen  us  to  bear, 

'  On  the  bygone  and  buried  year  do  we  not  inscribe  this 
epitaph,  "  Not  one  good  thing  hath  failed  of  all  that  the 
Lord  hath  spoken."  Even  during  the  three  past  months, 
how  many  breaks  death  has  made  in  the  group  that  used  to 
encompass  our  communion  table  !  I  seem  to  meet  there 
the  moistened  eyes  of  many  a  mourner  for  the  dead. 

'  Nothing  has  added  so  much  to  my  own  affliction  as  the 
impossibility  of  visiting  the  sick  and  the  sorrowing  in  theirs ; 
that  I  have  not  been  permitted  to  accompany  the  dying  to 
that  ship  which  knows  no  return.  But  if  they  have  sailed 
away  to  be  with  Christ  —  for  the  very  change  we  are 
deploring,  they  are  giving  thanks  before  the  throne. 

'  "  Glory,  glory,  how  the  angels  sing ! "  but  there  are  notes 
which  no  angel  can  reach,  struck  from  the  harps  of  those 
dear  ones  who  have  gone  up  from  your  side  and  mine,  to 
"  walk  in  white,"  because  "  washed  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb." 

'  Living,  as  we  do,  in  a  world  where  faces  are  continually 
changing  beneath  the  awful  shadow,  well  may  you  and  I 
rejoice  together  in  the  permanency  of  the  grand  springs  of 
spiritual  life,  those  blessed  truths  which  centre  in  and 
circle  round  the  cross.  These  are  the  sure,  the  supreme 
(may  I  not  say,  the  only)  realities ;  and  the  longer  we  look 
at  them,  are  we  not  filled  with  a  calm  and  satisfying  gladness  1 
Let  us  help  each  other  to  make  this  the  one  thing  we  desire 
of  the  Lord  and  seek  after — a  firmer  trust  and  a  closer  walk 
— a  warmer  heart  and  a  louder  song. 

'It  has  been,  and  is,  to  me  matter  of  deep  gratitude  to 


CLOXJDS    AFTER    RAIN.'  245 

God  that  you  as  a  flock  are  left  in  no  respect  as  sheep 
without  a  shepherd,  since  the  ministry  of  the  word  and  of 
all  pastoral  care  is  so  faithfully  rendered  by  my  beloved 
colleague. 

'May  he  be  more  and  more  sustained  amid  abounding 
labours,  and  long  may  you  enjoy,  at  his  lips,  the  mingled 
sound  of  the  shepherd's  voice  and  the  watchman's  warning  ! 

'  Most  cordially  do  I  desire  the  best  of  blessings  for  the 
brethren  of  the  session,  in  their  personal  and  their  official 
characters.  May  they  have  reason  to  joy  in  beholding  your 
order,  and  the  stedfastness  of  your  faith  in  Christ.  Let  me 
thank  all  of  you,  old  and  young,  who  have  favoured  me 
with  letters  and  messages  of  kindness.  Many  of  these  have 
had  no  echo  or  answer,  because  my  hand  is  too  helpless  for 
much  letter-writing,  and  I  have  had  to  limit  my  letters  to 
such  of  you  as  are  peculiarly  "companions  in  tribulation," 
suff'ering  the  sorrows  of  bereaved  afi'ection.  Yet  on  all  of 
you  alike  may  the  broadest  benediction  come  down,  and  be 
felt  in  growing  comforts  and  graces,  in  all  your  hearts  and 
homes  !  It  is  the  sweetest  balance  to  my  spirit  to  think 
of  your  "  conversation  being  such  as  becometh  the  gospel  of 
Christ,"  "  that  whether  I  come  and  see  you,  or  else  be 
absent,  I  may  hear  of  your  affairs,  that  ye  stand  fast  in 
one  mind,  striving  together  for  the  faith  of  the  gospel," — 
shining  "  as  lights  in  the  world,  and  holding  forth  the  Word 
of  Life."  It  is  not  you  that  are  to  shine — it  is  your  light. 
"  Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men  ; "  all  considerations 
of  self  being  absorbed  in  the  one  grand  life-purpose  —  of 
"glorifying  our  Father  who  is  in  heaven."  The  seraphim 
before  His  throne,  each  with  six  wings,  use  two  of  them 
for   service,  but  four  for  humility.      If  self  be  very  low, 


246  "    JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

and  the  Saviour  very  high,  then  shall  the  joy  of  both 
your  ministers  be  fulfilled,  and  the  church  among  you  will 
be  sure  to  be  the  fitting  home  for  the  new  life — the  place 
of  freedom  and  brotherly  confidence,  and  all  the  truest  and 
tenderest  concords — combining  all  the  varieties  of  Christian 
growth,  the  winningness  of  Christian  childhood,  and  the 
enthusiasm  of  Christian  j^outh ;  the  vigour  of  Christian 
manhood,  and  the  ripe  experiences  of  Christian  old  age. 

'  As  our  custom  i^sed  to  be  at  communion  times,  may  I 
offer  you  a  motto  -  text  to  take  away  Avith  you  from  the 
table  (1  Thess.  ii.  17):  "We,  brethren,  being  taken  from 
you  for  a  short  time  in  presence,  not  in  heart,  endeavoured 
the  more  abundantly  to  see  your  face  with  great  desire. 
For  what  is  our  hope,  or  joy,  or  crown  of  rejoicing?  Are 
not  even  ye  in  the  presence  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  at  His 
coming?     For  ye  aee  our  glory  and  joy." 

'  Yes,  your  salvation,  yours,  is  not  merely  the  measure, 
but  in  a  very  solemn  sense  the  substance,  of  the  "prize'' 
for  which  we  run. 

'  And  we  long  to  see  the  year  that  has  now  opened  the 
richest  in  sjjiritual  life  among  you — a  year  in  which  you 
will  realize  more  abiding  "  peace  in  believing,"  and  so  give 
forth  more  visible  graciousness,  and  abound  in  more  loving 
service. 

'It  is  no  small  consolation  to  me  to  know  that  the 
various  institutions  and  works  of  usefulness,  which  are  the 
life  of  a  congregation,  continue  to  prosper  well.  With 
the  New  Year,  may  there  be  a  new  start  in  them  all,  as 
from  a  higher  platform,  so  that  yours  may  be  the  encomium 
of  Christ's  own  Epistle  to  the  Church  of  Thyatira  (the 
Church  of  progress  among  the  seven) :  "  I  know  thy  works, 


'clouds  after  eain.'  247 

.  .  .  and  thy  icorks,  and  the  last  to  be  more  than  the 
first." 

'  Did  He  rebuke  the  two  sons  of  Zebedee  for  setting  their 
hearts  on  the  highest  positions — '^  the  right  hand  and  the 
left  in  His  kingdom "  ?  No,  He  did  not  rebuke  them  for 
such  legitimate  and  noble  ambition,  though  He  ivarned  them 
of  the  only  terms  on  which  such  dignities  could  be  theirs, 
— a  cup  and  a  baptism — a  cup  of  many  bitter  tears,  and  a 
baptism  into  seas  of  sorrow. 

'  This  earth,  with  all  its  sorrows,  is  our  training  school 
for  that  heaven  Avhere  "  His  servants  shall  serve  Him."  There 
is  one  service  needful  in  this  school,  which  will  never  come 
again !  Think  of  it,  fellow  -  suffering  believer,  and  say, 
I^ever  again,  to  all  eternity,  shall  I  have  an  opportunity  of 
glorifying  God  in  the  service  of  suffering." 

' "  jSTow  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  Himself,  and  God,  even 
our  Father,  who  hath  loved  us,  and  hath  given  us  everlasting 
consolation  and  good  hope  through  grace,  comfort  your 
hearts,  and  stablish  you  in  every  good  word  and  work." 

'  I  understand  Mr.  Young  has  been  keeping  you  regularly 
informed  as  to  the  work  I  have  on  hand  here,  so  that  you 
may  be  guided  in  your  intercessions  on  its  behalf. 

'  I  wish  I  had  time  left  to  tell  you  how  immensely  and 
intensely  interesting  that  work  is  !  And  how  urgent  is  the 
need  of  it  in  the  face  of  such  abject  superstitious  beliefs 
on  the  one  hand,  and  such  educated  unbelief  on  the  other  ! 
For  greatly  do  I  fear  that  Italy,  dispossessed  in  some  degree, 
and  for  the  time,  of  one  unclean  spirit,  is,  from  among  the 
demons  of  infidelity,  taking  back  seven  other  spirits,  more 
wicked  still !  What  can  save  it,  but  the  replenishment  and 
filling  of  the  empty  house  with   the    "  pure  gospel  of  the 


248  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

grace  of  God"?  The  only  way  to  preach  error  down,  is  to 
preach  up  "  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus." 

'  Even  the  religiousness  which  is  around  us  here  appears 
to  be  mainly  that  which  fascinates  the  senses,  and  imposes 
on  the  imagination,  by  means  of  pictures  and  music,  and 
masses  and  mummery,  and  material  altars  and  gorgeous 
rituals,  etc.     "Ye  have  not  so  learned  Christ." 

'  Oh,  clasp  closer  to  you  hearts  your  precious  Bible,  and 
the  simple  gospel  that  saves  your  souls  !  Cease  not  to  pray 
that  the  old  blood  -  red  banner  of  the  cross,  which,  in 
apostolic  days,  wrought  such  Avonders  in  this  land,  may  be 
borne  aloft  and  to  the  forefront  now;  that  Protestant 
Churches  here,  feeble  as  yet,  but  steadily  growing,  may  push 
their  peaceful  conquests,  persuaded  that  Christ's  truth  must 
win,  that  Christ's  life  must  spread',  that  Christ's  name  nmst 
be  magnified,  and  Christ's  kingdom  come !  Hasten  that 
triumph  !  God  of  mercy  ! 

'And  you,  dearly  beloved  lambs  of  the  fiock,  you  are  not 
forgotten  in  the  services  we  have  for  the  Italian  children. 
How  it  would  touch  you  and  melt  you  to  tears  to  hear 
them  singing  (as  we  have  tried  to  teach  them  in  their  own 
language)  your  own  familiar  Sabbath-school  hymns,  and  to 
your  own  favourite  tunes  :  "  Just  as  I  am,  Avithout  one 
plea;"  "Jesus  loves  me,  this  I  know;"  "Safe  in  the  arms 
of  Jesus."  In  these  arms,  my  dear,  dear  friends,  old  and 
young,  may  you  all  be  safe,  you  and  your  children.  Ten 
thousand  blessings  ever  rest  on  you ! — So  wishes,  so  prays, 
your  affectionate  pastor,  J.  R.' 

The  tender  life  he  was  anxiously  watching  was 
evidently  fading  away.     Some  one   exjDressed    doubts 


'clouds  after  raik'       249 

whether,  in  her  exquisite  purity  and  loveliness,  there 
was  any  share  of  original  sin.  '  Just  enough,'  was 
replied,  '  to  give  her  a  share  in  the  great  salvation.' 

Her  nineteenth  hirthday  occurring,  she  spoke  play- 
fully, in  the  morning,  about  being  '  awfully  old,'  and 
was  quite  full  of  brightness  and  life ;  but  soon  the 
cough,  struggling  with  her  weakness,  laid  her  as  one 
breathless. 

A  few  days  after,  the  end  came,  and  was  thus  told 
to  sorrowing  friends  at  home,  l)y  her  sister  who  was 
with  her : — 

'22nd  April  1877. 

'  Such  loveliness  in  death  and  dying  we  never  saw,  and 
never  shall  we  forget  it, 

'  On  Saturday  morning  very  early,  she  took  my  hand 
suddenly,  and  said,  "  Where  are  they  all  1  Tell  them  to 
come."  They  came,  and  just  after,  we  perceived  a  sad 
change.  .  .  .  Father  quoted  some  text,  when  she  said,  "Tell 
me,  am  I  going  to  die  1 "  A  little  cloud  overshadowed  her, 
but  just  for  a  moment ;  then  she  said  very  sweetly,  "  I  am 
going  to  be  with  Jesus," 

'  Uncle  "William  said,  "  '  which  is  far  better.'  " 

'  "Far  better,"  she  echoed,  "far  better." 

'  "  And  dear  mother,"  father  continued. 

'  "  Oh  yes,"  with  such  lovely  sunshine  in  her  face,  "  next 
to  Jesus,  dear  mother." 

'  It  was  a  bright  morning,  the  windows  were  wide  open, 
and  her  curtain  was  up ;  so  she  lay  looking  out  on  the 
beau-tiful  blue  sea,  but  she  seemed  to  be  looking  far,  far 
beyond. 


250  '    JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

'  "  Thine  eyes  shall  see  the  King  in  His  beauty,"  father 
said. 

' "  Oh  yes,"  she  said,  "  and  I  hope  you'll  all  come  and  see 

Him.     Tell  Dr. to  be  sure  and  tell  all  the  people  he 

goes  to  see  to  come,  and  "  see  the  King  in  His  beauty ; " 
and  tell  all  the  hotel  people,  "  '  Him  that  cometh  to  Me,  I 
will  in  no  wise  cast  out.'  " 

'  Then,  turning  to  me,  she  said,  "  I  would  like  you  to  give 
Joseph  my  Bible.  He  liked  it,  and  he'll  maybe  keep  it  for 
my  sake."  .  .  .  "I  want  to  tell  you  my  favourite  verse, 
'  He  loved  me,  and  gave  Himself  for  me.'  I  think  He's 
coming — "Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly,  oh,  come  quickly."  .   .  . 

'Looking  up  into  my  face,  she  said,  "Are  you  sure  I'm 
ready?"  adding,  "I  was  once  very  bad,  but  He  redeemed 
me.  Tell  all  the  people  at  home,  and  the  dear  little  Sabbath 
scholars,  to  come  to  Jesus  now." 

'  "  Yes,"  said  her  father,  "  you  came  to  Him  early,  and 
you  would  like  them  to  do  so  too." 

'  "  Oh  yes,  I'm  so  glad  I  did,  for  I  never  could  have  done 
it  now."  "  Oh,  you've  all  been  so  kind  to  me  ; "  and  with  an 
effort  she  raised  her  finger,  and  pointed  to  the  French 
nurse,  who  was  in  a  corner  of  the  room,  weeping  bitterly. 

'  Louise  came  forward,  and  Jessie  took  her  hand  and  threw 
her  a  kiss;  but  the  kind  old  nurse  was  not  going  to  be 
satisfied  with  that,  but  came  forward  and  kissed  her,  amid 
sobs  and  tears. 

'  "  Oh,  to  '  steal  away  to  Jesus,  to  steal  away  home,' "  she 
said  in  a  whisper. 

'  Uncle  William,  who  was  accustomed  to  bring  her,  each 
morning,  a  glass  of  fresh  spring  water,  which  she  greatly 
relished,  repeated  the  words,  "  The  Lamb  which  is  in  the 


'clouds  after  rain.'  251 

midst  of  the  throne,  shall  feed  them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto 
living  fountains  of  water." 

'  Looking  up  to  him,  she  said,  "  I'll  not  need  you  then." 

'Then  she  fell  back,  saying,  "Now  I'm  tired;  good-night, 
good-night." 

'  We  thought  the  end  had  come,  but  she  was  given  back 
to  us  all  yesterday,  and  through  the  night,  a  night  of  sore 
agony,  but  without  a  murmur,  and  with  a  smile  playing  about 
her  lips. 

'What  a  testimony  that  was,  during  all  that  solemn 
forenoon,  and  indeed  during  all  those  hours  of  passing  away, 
that  spoke  louder  than  the  grandest  sermon ! 

'This  morning  when  we  were  all  around  her.  Uncle 
William  said,  "  What  a  bright  Sabbath  morning  !  " 

'"Is  it  Sabbath  morning?"  she  asked;  "I  did  not  re- 
member.    What  a  bad  memory  I  have  ! " 

'  "  Yes,  dear,  it  is,  and  it's  a  long  time  now  since  you've 
been  at  church." 

'  "  Perhaps  I'll  be  there  before  you  to-day,  to  '  the  general 
assembly  and  Church  of  the  first-born,' "  she  replied. 

'  And  so  it  was. 

'The  gates  of  the  upper  sanctuary  opened,  and  she 
entered  in.' 

Her  father  wrote  : — 

'  I  never  saw  "  Triumph  in  Christ "  such  as  we  have  been 
witnessing  in  the  departure  of  our  darling.  It  has  been 
.  .  .  heaven  begun  below.  ...  All  through  Saturday,  and  on 
through  the  night,  she  lay  in  the  extremity  of  weakness, 
yet  glorying  in  the  cross,  and  most  vividly  remembering  you 
all.   .  .   . 


252  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

'  Her  messages  to  her  class,  and  the  young  people  of  the 
congregation,  were  overpoweringly  tender.  .  .  . 
'  When  I  had  said — 

'  "  Oh,  to  be  over  yonder, 
In  that  world  of  wonder  ! 
There's  no  more  shadow  yonder. 
In  the  presence  of  the  King  ;  " 

*  Instantly  her  face  brightened  as  if  a  heavenly  light  were 
dawning,  and  with  the  sweetest  smile  she  passed  away. 
*  Fond  love  to  you  all  from  a  bleeding  heart.' 

'  So  young,  so  lovely,  so  full  of  promise '  (wrote  a 
sympathizing  friend  to  her  father),  '  so  fitted  for  usefulness, 
and  for  a  mission  to  brighten  your  pilgrimage  and  that  of 
many  others — it  is  very  hard  to  resign  her.' 

Yes,  very  hard. 

And  '  mother  earth  received  on  trust ' — on  trust 
only — one  more  cherished  treasure,  on  24th  April, 
the  day  on  which,  in  the  year  before,  the  hand  of 
death  was  laid  so  suddenly  on  her  eldest  sister. 

And  her  father  says  : — 

'  From  that  little  narrow  grave,  in  the  corner  of  that 
foreign  cemetery,  between  the  rustling  of  the  olives  and  the 
sounding  of  the  sea,  there  streams  upward  a  bright  path- 
way of  sure  and  certain  hope  to  the  throne  of  Jesus,  and  to 
the  glory  that  fadeth  not  away.' 

His  brother,  the  Eev.  Dr.  Eobertson  of  Irvine,  who 
was  at  that  time  living   abroad,  and  who  had  joined 


'clouds  after  rain/  253 

the  sorrowing  circle  at  San  Eemo,  thus  wrote   after- 
wards to  a  sister  at  home  : — 

'  Fiesole,  Toscano, 
' .  .  .  How  intensely  I  came  to  love  that  lovely  Jessie, 
who,  I  think,  was  the  sweetest  child  that  ever  needed  to  be 
saved  !  The  French  nurse  said,  when  she  lay  in  the  white 
sleep  of  God's  beloved,  covered  with  flowers,  "  You  should 
not  be  sorry.  She  .  .  .  angel"  .  .  .  How  nobly  James 
bore  himself  as  it  drew  nearer  the  end,  and  noblest  of  all  at 
the  last !  When  he  was  no  longer  distracted  by  possibilities 
of  recovery,  and  the  melancholy  sound  of  that  broken  cough 
that  echoed  down  the  corridors  all  through  the  night — the 
saddest  music  I  ever  listened  to — when  he  knew  it  had 
ceased  in  the  silence  out  of  which  rises  the  New  Song,  when 
he  saw  it  Avas  not  possible  the  cup  could  pass  from  him,  he 
said,  "  Thy  will  be  done,"  and  set  his  face  stedfastly  and 
even  cheerfully  to  the  rest.  He  was  so  ill  when  she  was  not 
so  ill,  that  there  seemed  no  way  of  outgoing  for  him  at  the 
end  except  either  to  go  down  altogether,  as  he  feared  he 
would,  or  to  rise,  as  he  did,  upon  the  other  side  into  the  fidl 
majesty  and  dignity  of  Christian  grief.  And  that  he  did, 
with  not  a  little  in  it  of  the  truly  sublime.  We  glorified 
God  in  him  also.  .  .  .  You  will  help  to  keep  him  up,  as  his 
I  cork  too  so  wonderfully  does  .  .  .' 

With  stores  of  unwritten  and  tender  memory 
regarding  those  days,  so  sad  to  them — '  yet  to  her  so 
evidently  happy' — the  mourners,  after  depositing  the 
precious  seed,  turned  their  faces  homewards. 

The  season  for  ministerial  work  at  San  Eemo  was 
over. 


CHAPTEE     XY. 

1877-1878. 

Mr.  Eobertson  was  now  in  a  shattered  state  of  health, 
and,  after  reaching  London,  tarried  there  several  weeks, 
on  his  way  north  ;  thus  putting  off  the  sad  home- 
going  till  he  was  more  able  for  it. 

He  had  at  this  time,  we  are  told,  a  touching  evidence 
of  sympathy  from  the  pastor  of  the  Metropolitan 
Tabernacle.  Mr.  Spurgeon  had  met  with  them  at  San 
Eemo,  and  been  deeply  interested  in  Jessie.  On  the 
Sabbath  after  returning  to  London,  Mr.  Eobertson 
went  in  late,  after  the  sermon  had  begun,  to  a  back 
seat  in  the  Tabernacle.  Mr.  Spurgeon,  who  notices 
everything,  saw  him  come  in,  and  immediately  turned 
his  sermon  into  a  consolatory  strain,  and,  as  Mr. 
Eobertson  expressed  it,  poured  out  for  five  minutes 
the  very  richest  comfort.  Mr.  Eobertson  thanked  him 
at  the  close,  and  Mr.  Spurgeon  said,  '  I  could  not  help 
it  when  I  saw  you  looking  so  sad.' 

Medical  advice  was,  at  first,  contrary  to  his  attempt- 
ing work  at  home  for  a   time ;  but,  in   the   midst  of 


EVENTIDE.  255 

congenial  Christian  friends  (of  whose  tender  sympathy 
and  kindness  we  cannot  speak  too  strongly),  and  in  the 
world-wide  interests  of  the  '  May  meetings,'  he  found 
temporary  diversion  from  his  sense  of  loss,  till  he 
was  sufficiently  revived  to  warrant  the  same  advice 
in  recommending  a  gradual  return  to  his  favourite 
employment,  in  the  old  and  well-loved  sphere,  while 
forbidding  residence  at  the  old  home. 
He  says  : — 

'  I  had  a  great  deal  of  happy  fellowship  in  London  with 
some  of  the  holiest  and  the  best  out  of  heaven. 

'  What  blessed  gatherings  !  What  blessed  greetings  before 
the  throne  !  How  my  heart  did  respond  to  that  sentence 
in  your  last,  *'  Is  the  heavenly  influence  our  darling  Jessie 
carried  about  with  her  to  be  ours  no  more,  but  in  memory  1 " 

'  It  tvas  a  mighty  influence  for  good  that  God  gave  her. 
I  find  on  every  side  the  tokens  of  the  blessing  she  has  left 
behind  her.  Often  still,  "  I  am,  with  sore  affliction,  quite 
overwhelmed." 

'But  it  is  more  and  more  sensibly  "swallowed  up  in 
victory." 

'  What  special  cause  we  have  to  be  thankful  for  that  last 
Beatitude  from  the  lips  of  Jesus  :  "  Blessed  are  they  who 
have  not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed  ! " 

'  Oh,  these  sweet,  and  bright,  and  ever  -  remembered 
faces  !  What  a  morning  that  will  be  when  we  shall  see 
them  again,  and  shall  love  one  another  yet  with  an  eternal 
love  ! 

'  The  light  has  gone  from  everything  here  except  the 
glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God.' 


256  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

To  Mr.  M'Dowall,  then  very  feeble,  and  little  able 
to  write : — 

'  4tli  December  1877. 

' .  .  .  Only  just  now  has  your  precious  letter  reached  me 
— precious  to  me  as  coming  from  you,  and  still  more  so,  as  a 
token  of  the  loving  confidence  that  has  blessed  all  our  days. 
It  is  very  sweet  to  me  in  the  midst  of  my  sore  adversities, 
of  which  I  understand  you  have  been  told,  and  more  of 
which  I  may  be  able  to  tell  you  some  day  soon,  when  I  can 
get  to  your  side. 

' .  .  .  I  can  only  add  the  reassurance  of  fervent  and  most 
grateful  affection.  Let  us  "  stay  ourselves  on  our  God  " — 
the  best  of  all  consolations,  connecting  us  with  those  who 
have  gone  before,  and  conveying  iis  toward  them  in  heart 
and  aim.' 

After  Mr.  Robertson's  death,  a  friend  quoted  the 
following  incident,  as  told  to  him  by  Mr.  Eobertson. 

'  A  few  days  ago,  I  was  walking  along  the  road, 
and  came  upon  a  poor  blind  boy,  sitting  at  the  road- 
side, flying  a  kite. 

'  I  said  to  him,  "  My  boy,  what  are  ijou  doing 
Hying  a  kite  ?     You  cannot  see  it." 

'  Turning  his  blind  eyes  up  towards  me,  he  replied, 
"  No,  I  canna  see  it,  but  I  can  feel  it  tuggin'." ' 

Mr,  Eobertson  added,  '  I  am  like  the  little  blind 
laddie.  I  feel  something  tuggin',  and  by  and  bye 
I'll  see  them  all  again.' 

Another  friend  gives  the  following : — 

'  Mr.  Robertson's  visits  to  the  Cripples'  Home  in  Salisbury 


EVENTIDE.  257 

Place  (during  the  past  yeavs,  when  at  home)  were  much 
enjoyed  by  the  children.  He  used  to  give  them  simple 
texts.  The  older  children  got  one  for  each  finger,  which  they 
were  to  try  and  repeat  to  him  on  his  next  visit.  One  day  a 
friend  called,  and  of  their  own  accord  the  children  went 
through  the  exercise  of  repeating  the  texts.  The  last  to  do 
this  was  a  quiet,  intelligent  boy  who  had  lost  his  hand. 
He  held  up  the  stump  of  his  arm,  and  said,  "  As  I  have  no 
fingers,  Mr.  Robertson  gave  me  a  big  text  for  this — he  said 
it  was  so  big  that  it  could  cover  all  my  sins  ; "  and  the  boy 
repeated  the  words,  "The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  His  Sou 
cleanseth  us  from  all  sin." 

'  The  young  sufferers  longed  for  his  visits.  Whenever 
they  saAv  him  passing  along  the  street,  they  hastened  to  the 
windows  and  clapped  their  hands,  and  if  he  went  on  they 
were  disappointed  and  silent,  but  if  he  turned  in  they 
shouted  for  joy.  Every  Sabbath  morning  as  he  passed  to 
church  they  were  watching  for  him,  and  Avhenever  he  came 
in  sight  their  sweet  voices  at  once  joined  in  the  hymn — 

"'0  that  will  be  joyful, 

When  we  meet  to  part  no  more." 

Mr.  Robertson  would  stand  still  for  a  few  moments,  his 
heart  would  fill,  and  then  he  would  hasten  away  to  his  loved 
work,  with  the  notes  of  the  children's  song  following  him  and 
cheering  him  in  both  his  "doing  and  suffering,"  as  the 
children's  Hosanna  did  the  Master  in  His. 

'  The  tie  to  the  little  sufferers  was  all  the  stronger  now 
that  Eliza  and  Jessie  had  been  frequent  visitors,  carrying 
their  gentle,  natural,  easy  cheer  to  them.' 

Having  returned  to  Glasgow,  Mr.  Eobertson  remainect 
R 


258  JAMES   ROBERTSON". 

with  his  friends  there,  going  to  Edinburgh  as  strength 
allowed,  to  discharge  his  ministerial  work,  with  the 
hope — ardently  cherished — of  being  able  to  resume 
residence  when  more  fit  for  it. 

Under  some  '  aggravations  of  personal  suffering,'  he 
was,  however,  for  the  time  being  '  medically  inter- 
dicted '  from  such  residence,  and,  in  the  end,  '  had  no 
choice  left  him  but  that  of  withdrawing  from  the 
more  regular  and  active  duties  and  responsibilities  of 
the  pastorate.'  This  partial  retirement  was  a  heavy 
trial — the  climax  of  his  sorrows. 

He  had  '  been  bereaved  of  his  children — bereft  of  his 
work,  he  was  bereaved/  Still, 'there  was  some  allevia- 
tion, as  he  said,  in  '  the  hope  that,  during  the  remainder 
of  my  sadly-darkened  days,  I  may,  by  God's  continual 
mercy,  be  able  yet  to  seek  the  good  of  that  people  to 
whom  my  whole  heart  clings,  and  who  have  been  the 
object  of  my  constant  care  and  love,  ever  since  they 
were  first  brought  together  as  a  new  congregation.' 

Still  he  sought  '  the  strength  to  suffer,  and  the  will 
to  serve ; '  in  all  that  came  to  him,  was  not  '  our 
Father's  will  the  perfection  of  all  reasons  ?  When 
the  thorns  rankle  in  the  fiesh,  the  more  is  grace  poured 
into  the  soul.  The  hotter  the  furnace,  the  more  bright 
and  beautiful  the  presence  of  the  Son  of  God.' 

His  brethren  of  the  Presbytery,  as  well  as  all  who 
spoke  at  the  congregational  meeting  called  to  consider 
his  resignation,  uttered  their  sympathies  very  tenderly, 
with  great  affection  and  regard. 


EVENTIDE.  259 

Nor  was  his  cup  of  sorrow  yet  full. 

In  the  midst  of  all  these  anxieties,  he  had  been 
passing  to  and  from  the  sick-bed  of  a  dear  sister,  whose 
gentle  life  was  ebbing  to  its  close  ;  and  who,  among 
the  last  days  of  tlie  year,  went  quietly  home  to  join 
those  '  gone  before.' 

We  give  some  of  the  notes  written  durins;  his  sister's 
illness  in  1877,  and  on  to  the  time  of  her  death : — 

'3rd  September  1877. 

'  My  very  dear  I., —  .  .  .  ]\ray  you  be  guarded,  delivered, 
and  blessed  every  hour  !  TNHiy  should  we  ever  doubt  that 
our  Heavenly  Father  has  a  personal  afFection  and  care  for 
these  bodies  as  well  as  these  souls  of  ours !  I  believe  that  if 
that  thin  veil  which  separates  the  two  Avorlds  were  drawn 
aside  just  now,  we  would  see  such  a  look  on  His  face  that 
we  would  never  doubt  again.  And  though  there  be  those 
on  earth  who  love  us,  and  of  whose  sympathy  we  feel  quite 
sure,  yet  far  more  tenderly  and  devotedly  does  He  love  us, 
putting  our  "tears  into  His  bottle,  and  our  sighs  into  His 
book." ' 

'  loth  I^ovember. 

'  .  .  .  I  hope  to  find  you  suffering  less  when  I  come,  and 
kept  very  close  to  the  fountain  of  Love.  How  gracious  our 
God  is  to  permit  us  to  give  and  to  receive  kindnesses ! 

'  Is  not  His  love  like  the  centre  of  gravity  in  the  material 
world — not  only  attracting  all  things  to  itself,  but  uniting 
them  harmoniously  to  each  other  ? ' 

'"A  man  of  sorrows  and  acquainted  with  grief."  Is  it 
not   comforting'   to   think   of   Jesus   under   this   character  ? 


260  JAMES    EOBERTSOX. 

Here  He  is  come  to  sit  over  you  as  a  Refiner — one  who  was 
"  exceeding  sorrowful,  even  unto  deatli,"  who  knows  all  the 
bitterness  of  the  saddest  heart.  .  .  .' 

'  "  These  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you,  that  My  joy 
might  remain  in  you,  and  that  your  joy  might  be  full." 
Christ  can  give  to  the  most  sorrowful  such  joy  unspeakable, 
and  He  gives  it  by  making  known  to  the  soul  what  He  has 
done,  and  by  showing  to  the  soul  what  He  is  still.  These 
are  the  things  spoken  of  from  which  our  joy  flows.  His 
voice,  drawing  our  thoughts  to  Himself,  is  that  which  brings 
healing  to  our  wounds. 

'  "  These  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you,  that  in  Me  ye 
might  have  peace."  "What  He  has  told  us  of  His  salvation, 
and  the  love  shown  to  us  in  providing  it  all — these  are  the 
things  applied  by  the  Comforter.  These  are  the  springs  of 
comfort  which,  like  the  snows  of  Lebanon,  are  so  high  that 
nothing  can  ever  dry  them  up  !  .  ,   .' 

'  "  God  commendeth  His  love  "  in  this,  "  that  while  we 
were  yet  sinners  Christ  died  for  us." 

*  "  He  hath  made  Him  to  be  sin  for  us,  that  we  might  be 
made"  not  merely  righteous,  but  righteousness — and  "the 
righteousness  of  God  in  Him." 

'  "  Jesus,  how  glorious  is  Thy  grace  ! 
When  in  Thy  name  we  trust, 
Our  faith  receives  a  righteousness 
That  makes  the  sinner  just." ' 

'  24tli  November. 
'  I  want  to  tell  you  of  a  little  boy  of  a  friend  of  mine, 
who  was  returning  home  the  other  night  with  his  father  by 
some  bye-paths  that  were  utterly  unknoAvn  to  the  child,  and, 


EVENTIDE.  261 

after  wonderings  and  questionings,  he  at  last  gripped  his 
father's  hand  fast  in  the  dark,  and  said,  "  I  know  nothing 
at  all  about  this  road,  except  that  we  are  going  home ; "  and 
then  he  added,  "  You'll  tell  me  all  about  it  when  we  get 
there."  I  thought  this  is  a  picture  of  simple  trust  in  our 
Eest  Friend,  and  of  what  it  is  to  let  Him  lead  us  on  in  the 
pure  night  of  faith. 

'  I  was  greatly  struck  with  that  when  I  was  beside  the 
sick-bed  of  old  Professor  Duncan.  He  was  a  thinker  that 
could  Avade  knee-deep  in  waters  that  drowned  other  people, 
and  all  his  life  he  had  perplexed  himself  with  metaphysical 
subtleties.  Yet  at  the  end  he  used  to  say,  he  found  himself 
back  at  his  mother's  knee,  receiving  the  gospel — the  grace 
of  Jesus — the  kingdom  of  heaven — as  a  little  child. 

'  His  deep  thinking  had  done  nothing  to  clear  his  way  to 
the  unknown  world. 

'  Words  often  on  his  lips  were — 

'  "  Nothing  in  my  hand  I  bring, 
Simply  to  Thy  cross  I  cling." 

'  He  held  fast  his  first  hope  as  his  last  hope  firm  to  the 
end. 

'  God  puts  us  down  into  very  dark  places  to  learn  the 
lesson  of  hope — "  Good  hope  through  grace."  It  is  a  lesson 
generally  learned  in  a  strange  school — "  the  valley  of  Achor 
for  a  door  of  hope  " — the  low  places  of  trouble  opening  the 
happy  vistas  which  run  up  and  up  to  the  throne  of  God. 
Jesus  is  our  Hope.  We  turn  to  our  stronghold  as  "  prisoners 
of  hope."  "  May  the  God  of  Hope  fill  you  with  all  joy  and 
peace  in  believing,  that  ye  may  abound  in  hope  through  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  ' 


262  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

'  30th  JSTovember. 
'  May  I  offer  you  one  or  two  of  the  healing  leaves  of  the 
tree  of  life  1 

*  Isa.  liii.  5  :  "  The  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  on  Him, 
and  with  His  stripes  we  are  healed." 

'Mark  v.  34:  "Daughter,  thy  faith  hath  made  thee 
whole."  She  had  tremblingly  touched  only  the  hem  of  His 
garment.  There  was  no  merit  in  the  act  itself.  Her  healing 
was  the  result  of  believing  that  Jesus  was  fvill  to  the  brim 
with  healing  virtue. 

'  "  By  grace  " — not  grace  tcithin  us,  but  grace  without  us 
—  "  ye  are  saved."  .  .  . 

'  A  negro  convert  said,  "  I  know  noAv  what  free  grace 
means — something  for  nothing."  .  .  . 

'  Yes,  it  is  given  freely,  without  anything  in  us,  or  done 
by  us,  or  felt  by  us,  or  spoken  by  us,  or  possessed  by  us — 
"  without  money,  and  without  price."  This  is  the  "strength 
to  the  poor — a  strength  to  the  needy  in  his  distress,  a  refuge 
from  the  storm,  and  a  shadow  from  the  heat."  May  the 
good  Lord  breathe  on  you  His  own  most  blessed  peace.' 

'  4th  December. 
'  Another  drop  of  Bible  balm — 

'  Eph.  i.  6  :  "To  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  His  grace  .  .  . 

accepted  in  the  Beloved." 

*  This  is  the  Eock  that  never  moves— 

'  Christ 
'  In  the  glory  of  His  person, 
'  The  love  of  His  heart, 
'  The  power  of  His  arm. 


EVENTIDE.  263 

'  "  Weaker  now — a  bruised  reed — 
Help  I  every  moment  need." 

'  "  The  bruised  reed  He  will  not  break." 
'  "  The  Eternal  God  is  thy  refuge,  and  underneath  (at  our 
lowest — at  our  worst)  are  the  Everlasting  Arms."  ' 

'11th  December. 

'  Will  you,  dear  J.,  drop  these  words  betimes  into  our 
beloved  sister's  dying  ear  1 

'  "  I  will  make  mention  of  His  righteousness,   even  of 

His  cnhj." 

'  "  Had  I  an  angel's  righteousness, 

I'd  lay  aside  that  glorious  dress 

And  ^vrap  me  up  in  Christ." 

'  "Thy  righteousness 

Shall  be  my  marriage  dress, 
In  which  I'll  stand 
At  God's  right  hand, 

Forgiven. 
And  enter  rest, 
Among  the  blest. 

In  heaven." 

'  "  My  righteousness  shall  never  be  abolished,  and  my 
salvation  shall  be  for  ever."  ' 

'  16th  December. 

'  Grateful  for  your  tidings  of  the  dear  patient  sufferer. 
Most  tenderly  are  you  both  remembered. 

'  ''The  river  of  God  is  full  of  water." 

'  Our  emptiness  is  but  another  name  for  our  capacity  of 
being  filled.  .  .  . 

'  May  God  Himself  fill  you  with  all  strength  and  comfort. 
.  .  .  They  cast  out   their    "  anchors   from   the   stern,   and 


264  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

Avished  for  the  day."  But  when  the  morning  broke  God's 
love  Avas  high  above  the  storm.  Our  Anchor  is  ever 
draAving  us  home — drawing  us  to  itself — not  downwards, 
beneath  devouring  waves,  but  upwards  to  unending  joys. 

'  "  Wlien  the  shore  is  won  at  last, 
AVho  will  count  the  billows  past?  "  ' 

'  In  the  Train,  18th  December. 
'  I  cannot  keep  from  going  on  talking  with  you.     It  was  a 
sore  wrench  to  tear  myself  off  to-day.     Do  let  me  hear  by 
every  post  if  you  can.     We  will  poise  our  hearts  on  the 
thought,  "  Thou  art  Avith  me." 

'  "  Bound  in  the  bundle  of  life." 

'  "  Who  then  can  e'er  divide  us  more 
From  Jesus  and  His  love  ? "  ' 

'  19th  December. 

'  Will  you  give  her  this  Avord  1  "  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the 
Son  of  God,  Avho  loved  me  and  gave  Himself  for  me." 

'  What  is  life  ?     Union  Avith  Life. 

'  How  safe,  hoAV  restful,  hoAV  blessed  the  life  that  is  a  part 
of  Christ's  life  !  Cut  off  from  the  guilty  past  by  His  blood, 
and  having  only  to  live  in  the  present  and  in  the  future. 
Xo  death  to  the  believer — it  is  all  swallowed  up.  Even  it 
is  life  !  As  at  the  end  of  the  23rd  Psalm,  there  is  no  death 
at  all.  It  is  leaped  over,  or  left  out,  as  about  a  thing  Avhich 
is  not ! 

'  "  Surely  goodness  and  mercy  shall  folloAv  me  all  the  days 
of  my  life ; "  and  then  Avithout  a  break,  "  I  Avill  dAvell  in 
the  house  of  the  Lord  for  ever." 

'  Is   not   Eunyan   right   in   making    "  the   valley  of  the 


EVENTIDE.  265 

shadow  "  come  long  Lefore  the  end — a  time  of  distress  done 
away  with  before  crossing  the  river? 

'  May  I  add  these  few  words  for  lier,  as  she  is  able  to 
take  them  in  ? 

'  "  Though  He  cause  grief,  yet  will  He  have  compassion  ; " 
and  this  other,  "  Happy  is  he  who  hath  the  Lord  Jehovah 
for  his  help,  whose  hope  is  in  the  Lord  his  God." 

'  Sin  "  cast  into  the  depths  of  the  sea," 

'  "  Nailed  to  the  cross," 

'  "  Blotted  out "  for  ever, 

'  To  be  "  remembered  no  more  ;  " 

'  Yes,  "remembered  no  more."' 

'  20th  December. 

'  "Will  you  assure  her  most  tenderly  that  we  are  constantly 
asking  for  her  that  she  may  be  feeling  her  Father's  arm, 
seeing  her  Father's  smile,  resting  on  her  Father's  bosom. 
!No  sorrow  can  visit  us  but  it  has  been  in  the  heart  of  Jesus 
first :  "7  have  prayed  for  thee  that  thy  faith  fail  not." 

'  In  Him  our  sins  and  sorrows  die,  but  the  love,  the  joy 
live  on  for  ever.  I  am  trying  to  comfort  myself  with  these 
words,  "  He  will  not  fail  you,  nor  forsake  you." ' 

'  We  are  sharing  our  cross  with  Jesus,  my  dear .     It 

will  never  crush  us,  nor  kill  us,  when  we  keep  close  to 
Him.' 

'  The  Lord  be  your  stay  in  this  time  of  sore  need.  And 
He  will  be  so.  He  would  have  us  depend  on  Him  for  each 
thing  we  need,  as  we  need  it,  knowing  Ave  are  not  to  be 
trusted  with  the  keys.  The  supply  is  always  ready  for  the 
demand,  and  our  great  need  the  sure  warrant  for  receiving. 


266  JAMES   ROBERTSON. 

We  are  brought  into  tliis  crushed,  ground-clown  state  of 
heavy  woe,  that  we  may  trust  in  God,  who  raiseth  the 
dead.  Our  pitiful  Father  is  not  so  straitened  in  His  under- 
standing of  our  frame,  as  to  require  words  from  us  to  tell 
Him  what  we  feel  and  fear.  He  sees  and  knows  our  uTiolc 
staie  to  be  a  prayer.' 

To  a  bereaved  friend  : — 

' ...  It  is  a  great  thing  to  feel  prayer  our  privilege. 
We  may  go.  But  is  it  not  better  still  to  feel  it  our  necessity  % 
AVe  must  go.  Then  there  is  real  depth,  life,  and  meaning  in 
our  prayers.  We  are  conscious  of  real  wants,  and  we  wait 
for  real  answers.     "  Lord,  from  the  depths  to  Thee  I  cry."  ' 

To  a  niece  : — 

'  6th  December  1877. 

' .  .  .  Sending  to-day  a  device  of  dear  M.'s  for  our  darling 
Jessie's  tombstone — an  open  Bible,  with  a  dove  hovering 
over  it,  and  under  the  name,  on  the  one  open  page,  "  I  am 
the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life  "  in  Italian ;  and  on  the 
other,  in  English,  "  Jesus  only."  "  He  loved  me,  and  gave 
Himself  for  me." ' 

'  Xever  can  my  heart  cease  to  bleed  and  linger  yonder,' 
he  says,  some  months  later. 

Mr.  Eobertson's  people,  while  '  welcoming '  any 
service  he  could  render  them,  and  '  desiring  '  his  fre- 
quent presence  among  them,  were  willing  to  '  reckon 
these  as  not  obligatory,  but  voluntary  ; '  and  further, 
'  left  him  unconditionally  free  to  accept  any  temporary 
engagement,  which  his  health  might  permit,  for  render- 


EVENTIDE.  2G7 

ins:  useful  service  to  the  cause  of  Christ  at  home  or 
abroad.' 

In  accordance  with  this  agreement,  he  wrote  soon 
after,  '  ]\Iuch  more  preaching  work  pressing  in  upon 
me  than  I  can  overtake.' 

The  Lord  had  a  wider  field  of  usefulness  in  store 
for  him ;  and  the  two  last  years  of  his  life  became 
years  of  happiest  service,  while  he  went  from  place  to 
place,  sowing  the  seed  everywhere. 

A  brother  in  the  ministry,  who  spoke  to  him  of 
the  change,  and  expressed  his  sympathy  witli  him 
in  the  trial  it  involved,  remarked,  in  a  semi-jocular 
way,  that  he  '  was  retiring  into  public  life ; '  and 
then,  in  sober  earnest,  added,  '  I  think  it  very  likely 
that  this  is  God's  way  of  extending  your  usefulness.' 
His  testimony  after  Mr.  Eobertson's  death  was  : 
'  Those  who  have  been  most  observant  of  his  course 
during  these  last  two  years,  and  have  known  the 
extent  and  variety  of  his  labours,  will  be  almost  dis- 
posed to  say,  I  "  did  certainly  divine  ;  "  and  when 
God  "  writeth  up  the  people,"  I  think  it  not  unlikely 
that  these  two  years  will  be  found  to  have  been  as 
fruitful  as — perhaps  more  fruitful  than — any  other  two 
years  of  a  ministry  which  has  been  greatly  blessed.' 

Opportunities  were  being  constantly  used.  The 
habits,  fostered  at  home  and  at  Tillicoultry,  of  steady, 
conscientious,  hard  work  had  become  the  life  of 
habitual  labour — a  life  in  which  self-indulgence  was 
left  out  of  account  to  the  very  end. 


268  JAMES    ROBERTSOK 

There  was  no  disposition  towards  easy-chair  Christi- 
anity at  any  period.  If  this  was  the  case  in  earlier 
days,  still  more  so  was  it  after  passing  through  his 
'  great  tribulation.'  '  He  sought  relief — as  he  always 
found  pleasure — in  his  work.'  Wherever  he  went, 
as  far  as  his  powers  allowed  him,  he  continued,  as 
constantly  and  self-forgetfully  as  ever,  to  carry  out 
his  Master's  great  commission :  '  Preach  the  gospel 
to  every  creature.'  In  railway  train,  in  car,  or  on 
the  road,  he  had  a  word  for  every  one.  To  miss  a 
friend  on  whom  he  was  calling  was  a  disappointment, 
but  it  was  taken  as  an  occasion  given  to  speak  to  the 
one  who  o]3ened  the  door.  After  he  was  gone,  count- 
less instances  came  to  light  of  his  being  ever  thus 
'  about  his  Father's  business,'  and  some  entire  strangers 
to  whom  he  had  spoken  called  to  seek  further  counsel, 
not  having  heard  of  his  departure. 

On  going  out  to  preach  on  any  occasion,  his  last 
words  to  those  left  at  home  often  were  :  '  Good-bye — 
"  prophesy  to  the  wind." ' 

About  his  evangelistic  work  he  says : — 

'  26th  July  1878. 

'  Going  to  Inverness  with  Dr.  Andrew  Eonar,  for  a  series 
of  joint  services.  Pray  much  for  us.  Have  had  a  great 
deal  of  blessed  work  in  the  North.  "The  Lord  is  good." 
"  A  safe  stronghold." 

'  Preaching  nearly  every  day — some  twenty-six  times  of 
it  since  coming,  three  weeks  ago.     It  is  a  precious  balm  ! ' 


EVENTIDE.  269 

We  are  indebted  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Andrew  Bonar, 
Glassfow,  for  the  followinaj  reminiscences  : — 

'  He  was  ever  watching,  specially  the  last  years  of 
his  life,  to  get  the  truth  lodged  in  the  heart  of  those 
he  met. 

'  A  young  friend  was  coming  along  Granville  Street, 
Glasgow,  while  he  was  on  the  other  side.  He  crossed 
over,  and  kindly  stopped  his  young  friend,  asking, 
"  AYell,  what  was  your  text  to-day  ?  "  No  answer 
being  given,  he  said,  "  I'll  give  you  one  to-day,  and, 
the  next  time  we  meet,  you'll  have  one  for  me." ' 

'  On  a  Sabbath  evening,  walking  along  Kent  Road, 
he  found  two  young  women  talking  together.  Stand- 
ing still,  he  asked,  "  Are  there  two  of  you,  or  three  ?  " 
They  did  not  seem  to  understand  his  question,  so  he 
said  again,  "  Are  there  only  two,  or  is  there  a  third  with 
you,  as  there  was  with  the  two  going  to  Emmaus  ?  " 

'  Their  reply  was :  "  We  were  not  talking  of  Him 
just  now,  but  we  were  talking  of  one  whom  we  would 
like  to  see  brought  to  Him." 

'  He  at  once  rejoined,  "  Oh  then.  He'll  count  that 
the  same  as  if  your  conversation  had  been  about 
Himself."  ' 

'  He  said  one  day,  "  A  young,  loving,  lively  Chris- 
tian carries  ozone  with  her  wherever  she  goes.  She 
makes  the  air  sweet  about  her."  ' 

'  It  was  rather  a  favourite  saying  of  his  :  "  Our  lives 
should  be  benedictions  to  men,  and  doxologies  to  God."  ' 


270  JAMES  ROBERTSON. 

'  He  used  to  tell  of  an  aged  Christian,  who  was 
near  the  close  of  his  pilgrimage,  and  seemingly  un- 
conscious, and  to  whom  a  friend  was  one  day  quoting 
the  passage  (thus)  :  "  I  know  in  whom  I  have  be- 
lieved, etc."  The  old  disciple  would  not  accept  it  so, 
but  broke  in  with  :  "  That's  not  it.  It's  '  I  hioiu  luliom.' 
I  cannot  allow  even  a  preposition  to  come  between 
me  and  my  Saviour." ' 

'  In  this  connection  Mr.  Eobertson  spoke  of  near- 
ness to  the  Saviour  at  all  times :  "  It  will  make 
our  work  worship,  and  our  service  song  ;  our  whole 
life  a  liturgy  of  thanksgiving,  and  all  our  habits 
holiness  to  the  Lord." ' 

'  At  the  Lord's  table,  one  Sabbath,  pointing  to  the 
broken  bread  and  the  poured-out  wine,  his  words 
were  :  "  He  Himself  is  the  Preacher  now.  That 
white-covered  table  is  His  pulpit,  anguish  His  argu- 
ment, blood  His  eloquence."  ' 

'  Frequently  he  brought  out  much  meaning  from  a 
text  by  a  single  touch.  "' I  am  black'  (Cant.  i.  5). 
Yes,  this  is  the  autobiography  of  every  believer." ' 

'  How  strong  was  his  language  regarding  the  doctrine 
of  siibstitution  !  "  Low  thoughts  of  this  truth  lie  at 
the  root  of  all  our  low  religion.  In  these  times  many 
talk  of  it  with  bated  breath.  They  tell  us  that  kind- 
ness is  the  key  to  the  human  heart.  They  forget 
that  there  is  another  door,  conscience,  for  which  even 
kindness  has  no  key.  '  Behold  the  fire  and  the  wood, 
but  ivliere  is  the  Lamb  ? '  " 


EVENTIDE.  271 

'  He  spoke  of  this  great  doctrine  as  "  the  royal 
chariot  in  which  the  spirit  of  revival  loves  to  ride." ' 

'  Occasionally  in  quiet  conversation  together,  when 
the  subject  had  warmed  our  hearts,  he  would  suddenly 
pass  into  prayer,  nor  was  there  any  abruptness  in  the 
transition.' 

'  He  excelled  in  addressing  a  workers'  meeting,  or 
a  noon  -  day  prayer  -  meeting.  He  did  not  prolong 
his  address,  but  always  left  something  fresh  and 
memorable.  One  day,  at  one  of  these  meetings,  he 
opened  his  Bible  at  Ezek.  xlvii.  1,  and  called  our 
attention  to  the  circumstance  that  "  the  waters  came 
down  from  the  temple,  at  the  south  side  of  tlie  altar. 
That  river  is  going  forth  to  heal  and  to  fertilize  ; 
but,  as  it  is  flowing  forth  to  us  sinners,  you  see  it  first 
asks  2)ermission  of  the  altar.''  ' 

'  Another  time  :  "  Pardon  is  not  a  deed  of  love 
done  when  God's  other  attributes  are  asleep.  ISTo ; 
all  God's  attributes  stand  round  the  altar,  giving 
consent." ' 

'  In  the  closing  period  of  his  life  and  work,  it 
pleased  the  Lord  to  visit  liis  servant  with  repeated 
bereavements,  each  of  which  he  felt  most  keenly. 
But  the  effect  of  these  trials  was  apparent  to  all  who 
knew  him.  Under  them  he  became  more  tender,  and 
not  merely  more  subdued.  He  reminded  me  of  Zeph. 
iii.  2,  by  contrast ;  for  he  "  received  correction," — 
bowing  before  Him  who  laid  His  holy  hand  upon  him, 
— and  he  "  drew  near  to  his  God."  ' 


272  JAMES    EOBERTSON. 

One  minister,  the  Eev.  Gavin  S.  ]\Iuir,  formerly 
of  Grange,  Banffshire,  and  now  of  Slateforcl,  who,  with 
his  people,  shared  in  the  ministrations  of  Mr.  Eobertson's 
visit  to  the  north  already  referred  to,  says  : — 

'It  was  in  July  1878  I  asked  him  to  help  at  our  summer 
communion,  and  to  hold  some  evangelistic  meetings  after- 
Avards.  There  had  been  no  such  meetings  in  the  district 
before,  and  I  Avas  desirous  that  Mr,  Robertson  should  be 
the  first  evangelist  heard  by  the  people,  as  I  knew  he  woidd 
produce  on  their  minds  a  favourable  impression,  as  to  the 
possibilities  of  good  in  such  services.  I  was  not  disappointed. 
Xight  after  night,  in  increasing  numbers,  and  from  remoter 
distances,  they  came  to  hear  "  the  old,  old  story,"  from  his 
lips.  No  immediate  cases  of  conversion  were  visible,  but 
more  than  one,  afterwards  brought  in,  traced  first  impres- 
sions to  that  hallowed  season. 

'  What  struck  me  most  about  his  preaching  was  its  "  happy 
Scripturalness."  He  sent  away  the  people  with  the  impres- 
sion, "  I  never  knew  there  was  so  much  in  the  Bible  on  that 
subject  before.     I  must  now  study  it  for  myself." 

'  And  is  not  this  the  best  kind  of  teaching  ?  What  pro- 
duces no  mere  passing  impression,  but  sends  the  hearers 
home  to  think  for  themselves  ?  Certainly  it  is.  Would  we 
had  more  of  it ! 

'  Of  his  society  and  influence  in  pi'ivate,  I  need  not  speak. 
Any  who  once  enjoyed  it  longed  to  enjoy  and  benefit  by  it 
a^ain.  While  with  us  he  seemed  literally  to  feed  upon  the 
Word  of  God.  It  was  truly  to  him  "  more  than  his  neces- 
sary food."  He  was  constantly  digging  in  the  Bible  as  for 
hid  treasure,  and  whenever  he  found  a  golden  text,  or  silver 


EVENTIDE.  273 

thought,  he  did  not  hoard  it,  but  put  it  into  circulation  at 
once.  He  had  the  "  evangelistic  gift "  most  decidedly,  and 
he  seemed  to  feel  that  the  "  breaking  up  of  his  home  nest " 
had  been  lovingly  meant  by  God  to  set  him  free  for  labours 
congenial  to  his  desires  and  qualifications. 

'  May  his  mantle  fall  on  others,  and  may  the  Church  soon 
have  manj'  such  gifted  preachers,  "  going  about  doing  good," 
gathering  in  precious  souls,  and  handing  tliem  over  to  the 
pastors  to  feed  and  liuild  up  in  their  most  holy  faith.' 

Mr.  Young  says  : — 

'  I  had  many  opportunities  of  talking  ■with  him,  as 
to  his  work  among  the  Churches.  His  diagnosis  of  thi; 
spiritual  condition  of  various  parts  of  the  country,  and 
the  information  he  gained  as  to  the  needs  of  the  people, 
and  the  means  employed  to  meet  them,  would  have  been  of 
great  value,  had  he  put  them  in  writing.  I  remember  how 
earnestly  he  talked  of  the  great  good  done  by  some  of  our 
ministers  in  quiet  country  places — remote  corners,  little 
known  to  the  Church ;  and  the  necessity  of  maintaining 
small  congregations,  even  where  others  might  be  quite  near. 

'  His  own  spirit  was  much  refreshed  by  his  visits  to 
country  manses,  and  talks  with  brethren  in  the  ministry, 
doing  difficult  work.  In  the  last  conversation  I  had  with 
him  before  his  death,  he  said  to  me  :  "  Had  I  known  how 
much  service  might  be  rendered  to  such  brethren  and  their 
congregations,  and  what  a  field  of  work  was  open  to  me,  I 
would  have  asked  the  Presbytery,  ten  years  ago,  to  loose  me 
from  my  congregation,  and  make  me  a  minister  at  large." 

'During  these  years,  he  appeared,  in  different  circum 
stances,  two  different  men.  Alone,  or  with  friends  who 
talked  of  his  trials,  he  seemed  broken  down,  overburdened 

B 


274  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

witli  sorrow.  But  once  out  of  his  room,  on  a  platform,  or 
in  midst  of  work,  lie  renewed  his  youth,  and  Avas  as  joyous 
and  bright  as  ever.  It  was  a  feature  of  his  character,  that 
he  gave  himself  to  one  thing  at  a  time,  and  became  absorbed, 
for  the  time  being,  in  the  one  thing.  Hence  it  was  of  great 
blessing  to  him,  in  his  later  days,  to  be  drawn  hither  and 
thither,  to  new  fields  of  labour,  which  engrossed  him,  and, 
for  a  little,  lifted  him  out  of  himself.' 

A  tie  was  now  to  be  broken,  involving  the  severance 
of  an  almost  life- long  friendship,  and  in  reference  to 

this  Mr.  Piobertson  writes  : — 

'  August  1878. 
'.  .  .   I  have   no   doubt  he   will   be   kept    in   luitroubled 

calm,  under  the  sunshine  of  a  light  that  never  shone  on 
earth  or  sea ;  and  only  when  Jesus  pleases,  there  will  come 
the  Everlasting  Light,  and  the  ceaseless  rapture  of  the 
immortals!  INIy  fondest  love  to  him,  with  the  Avords,  "A 
stronghold  in  the  day  of  trouble,"  "  He  knoweth  them  that 
trust  in  Him." 

'.  .  .  "The  Comforter"  is  Avith  you;  "  kept  by  the  poAvcr 
of  God."  He  gives  patience  and  quietness,  according  to  His 
Avill — sweet  and  precious  fruit,  even  in  old  age. 

'  Is  it  not  the  land  of  Beulah  on  the  verge  of  the  river  1 
So  near  the  celestial  city  that  you  hear  the  songs  of  the 
shining  ones?  It  is  blessed  to  put  doAvn  a  Q.E.D,  at  the 
end  of  the  problem  of  life  :  "  To  sJioio  that  the  Lord  is 
upright " — that  He  has  kept  His  promises.  "  He  is  a  Rock, 
the  Rock  of  my  defence — a  dwell iji;j 'Rock."  ' 

Then  came  the  last  visit ;  but  he,  whose  delight  on 
seeing  him,  on  previous  occasions,  seemed  likely  to 
prove   too  much   for  the   frail  and  failing  tabernacle, 


EVENTIDE.  275 

was  now  deaf  to  the  words  that   used  to  charni,    and 
unable  to  respond  any  more  to  human  friendship. 
Mr.   Eobertson    led    the    thouohts    of   a  sorrowinii- 

O  O 

group,  gatliered  on  the  scene  of  the  departure,  in 
the  glad  testimony  to  truth  revealed  and  believed  : 
'  "  He  asked  life  of  Thee,  and  Thou  gavest  it  him  " — 
in  this  room — "  even  length  of  days  for  ever  and  ever,"  ' 
A  few  days  more,  and,  referring  to  the  words  he 
had  heard  sung — with  difficulty,  and  amid  tears — at 
his  friend's  grave,  he  wrote  from  London,  on  his  way 
to  some  evangelistic  work  in  Paris : — 

'  20th  September  1878. 

'.  .  .  "  Asleep  in  Jesus."  That  strain  is  in  my  ear 
continually.  It  links  the  two  workls — the  happy  present 
with  the  happy  future — the  mystic  jiower  of  an  endless 
life.  .  .  . 

'  You  Avill  be  enclosed  in  the  cleft  of  the  Rock,  and  will 
see  the  shadow  as  it  passes.  He  will  be  your  arm  every 
morning,  on  which  leaning  you  cannot  faint.  He  will  feed 
you  with  such  hidden  manna,  and  make  you  so  strong,  that 
the  burden  will  feel  light  to  you.  He  will  take  up  both 
you  and  ycrar  burden,  as  the  shepherd  carries  the  lamb  on 
his  shoulders ;  and  .will  bear  you  unscathed  over  all  the 
rough  places.  I  know  He  will  do  it,  in  His  own  wise,  holy, 
perfect  way — faithfully,  abundantly.' 

Of  his  Paris  work  he  wrote  afterwards : — 

'12th  October. 
'Have   had   much   enjoyment   in   fellowship  with   some 
remarkable  men — Pere  Hyacinthe,  'SI.  Bersier,  Canon  Bell, 


276  JAMES    ROBEETSOX. 

etc.  etc.  Time  wonkl  fail  to  tell  of  all  the  delight  I  had  in 
the  gospel  work  of — not  Sabbaths  only,  but — every  day.i 

'  Twenty-one  times  I  had  of  it  in  fourteen  days.  Yet  no 
harm  have  I  felt ;  it  was  all  so  cheering. 

'Avidity  for  the  truth  is  wonderful.  It  has  made  my 
broken  bones  rejoice,  and  has  turned  my  valley  of  weeping 
into  a  door  of  hope  for  France. 

'  M'All's  work,  Miss  de  Broen's,  and  Miss  Leigh's — all 
very  precious.  Held  meetings  with  the  employh  of  the 
Exhibition,  Avas  entreated  to  continue,  but  other  engage- 
ments hold  me.     Dr.   's   anniversary  to-morrow  ;  same 

service  in  Melrose  next  Sabbath.  Newiiigton,  27tli ;  Dr. 
Frew's,  first  Sabbath  November ;  then  Dunfermline,  Dum- 
fries, Aberdeen,  Banff,  Liverpool,  etc' 

'  8th  Xovember. 

'  The  gatherings  at  Dr.  Frew's  were  large.  Among  them, 
not  a  few  Avho  were  scholars  in  Saturday  and  Sabbath 
classes,  in  the  old  Greenhill  days ;  and  in  after  conversa- 
tion there  were  some  touching  proofs  of  precious  fruit  from 
that  early  sowing.' 

'  A  short,  characteristic,  and  interesting  account,  from  his  own 
[len,  of  tlie  gospel  work  which  Mr.  Robertson  saw,  and  in  which  he 
was  engaged,  in  Paris,  appeared  in  the  United  Presbyterian  Missionary 
Record  of  1st  May  1879,  and  was  afterwards  issued  in  a  separate  form 
by  Mr.  Elliot,  Princes  Street,  Edinburgh.  In  it  he  speaks  of  the  Salle 
Evangelique  as  '  a  scene  of  sanctified  delight,'  in  which  *  we  learned 
to  love,  not  our  own  regiment  the  less,  but  the  great  army  more — 
declaring  and  increasing  the  unity  of  our  minds  and  hearts,  as  those 
who  have  a  common  Father,  a  common  hope,  and  a  common  home.' 

'  On  reading  this  sketch,'  says  a  ministerial  brother,  '  one  is  ready 
to  notice  these  three  things  :  1.  "What  a  golden  pen  Mr.  Robertson 
wrote  with  ;  2.  with  what  Christian  affection  he  regarded  all  who 
were  working  in  the  service  of  the  same  Lord  ;  and  3.  how  cheerfully 
he  lent  himself,  "in  season  and  out  of  season,"  to  promote  the  cause 
that  was  dear  to  him.' 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

1879. 

Contrary  as  it  was,  and  repulsive,  to  Mr.  Eobertson's 
nature,  to  plan  for  an  easy  way  of  doing  his  work,  yet, 
in  his  wanderings  now,  he  found  it  absolutely  necessary 
to  take  all  precautions  to  avoid  fatigue  in  walking. 

In  a  letter  to  a  friend,  from  Edinburgh,  he  says  : — 

'  17th  January  1879. 

'.  .  .  I  write  ill  bed,  and  with  difficulty.  I  never 
expected  to  see  you  again  on  this  side  the  river ! 

'  Seized  here,  during  Tuesday  night,  with  the  most  terrible 
of  the  paroxysms  I  liave  ever  had — heart  at  the  bursting, 
protracted  ogony  for  breath,  then  sinking  into  insensibility 
for  four  or  five  hours. ^ 

'  Yet  the  Rock  did  not  fail  me — did  not  tremble. 

'  And  the  shadow  has  been  turned  once  more. 

'  The  doctors  speak  of  it  as  a  very  narrow  escape.  Praise 
for  the  reign  of  superabounding  grace. 

'  I  had  communion  work  here  on  the  Sabbath,  and  anni- 
versary meeting  on  the  Monday  evening,  visiting  of  sick  on 
Tuesday,  when  tliis  spasmodic  attack  suddenly  came  at 
midnight. 

'  He  had  similar  seiziu-es  repeatedly  before,  but  tliis  was  much 
worse  than  any  previous  one. 


278  JAMES   ROBERTSON 

',  .  .  Many  a  promise,  written  in  sympathetic  ink,  Ave 
cannot  read,  till  the  fire  of  trouble  brings  out  the  characters. 
The  farther  we  go  down  the  shaft  of  affliction,  the  deeper 
are  we  led  into  the  gold  mines  of  spiritual  experience. 

'.  .  .  If  Jesus  seems  to  sleep  in  our  vessel,  He  sleeps 
with  His  hand  on  the  helm,  and  will  steer  us  homeward. 

'  INTy  heart  is  like  a  ploughed  field — cross- ploughed.  Not 
one  good  thing  has  failed — not  one  single  lock  of  Avhich  he 

has  not  the  key.     You  and  dear will  keep  praying  that 

Ave  may  be  enabled  to  sing,  like  the  nightingale,  in  the  night, 
and  Avhen  the  thorns  are  at  our  breast.' 

During  the  illness  referred  to,  he  was  in  the  house 
of  two  of  his  oldest  and  m'ost  valued  friends,  who 
nursed  him  with  all  tenderness  and  affection,  until  he 
Avas  able  to  return  to  GlasgOAv ;  but  some  time  passed, 
after  this  seizure,  before  he  was  fit  for  work  again ; 
and  it  proved  to  be  Avhat  he  thought  it — though  those 
whose  lives  were  closely  bound  up  with  his  were 
strongly  unwilling  so  to  regard  it — a  Avarning  of  the 
coming  end. 

In  March  he  was  once  more  able,  though  not  A'ery 
strong,  to  venture  from  home  on  his  much-loved  and 
abundant  labours. 

Early  in  May,  '  he  gave  one  of  his  genial  and 
interesting  addresses  to  some  thousands  of  young- 
people  in  the  Glasgow  City  Hall,  on  the  Temperance 
movement.' 

About  a  month  before  he  died,  passing  along  Princes 
Street,  he  shook  hands  hastily  Avith  a  friend  Avhom  he 


HOME.  279 

met.  Allusion  was  made  to  the  death  of  some  one  in 
whom  they  were  mutually  interested,  and  he  parted, 
saying,  '  Heaven's  filling  fast ! ' 

His  last  three  Sahbaths  were  spent  in  Fife,  Aber- 
deen, and  Barrhead.  Of  his  own  accord,  he  offered  to 
spend  the  week  between  the  first  and  second,  with 
friends  whose  homes  lay  on  his  way  between  the  two 
places.  Such  an  offer,  being  only  too  rare,  was  joy- 
fully accepted.  It  was  his  parting  visit.  Part  of  it 
was  spent  in  the  house  from  which  he  had  chosen  his 
beloved  wife.  His  last  walk  before  leaving  was  to 
the  churchyard  and  the  grave  of  his  old  friend, 
where  he  had  an  evening  talk  with  the  few  boys  who 
had  come  to  ring  the  eight  o'clock  bell  in  the  old  church 
tower — a  talk  about  '  better  things,'  in  no  hackneyed 
phrases,  of  no  threadbare  forms,  natural,  easy — words 
to  which  the  boys  listened  attentively,  reverently. 

In  returning,  rests  had  to  be  taken  on  the  slightest 
ascents  in  the  way,  to  ease  chest  pain ;  but  this  had 
been  so  often  the  case,  in  previous  years,  that  it  was 
no  more  thought  of  than  usual. 

In  the  calm,  quiet,  solemn  talk  with  God  in  family 
prayer  at  eventide,  among  other  touching  and  impress- 
ive sayings,  these  cannot  be  forgotten : — 

'  "  Thou  art  near,  0  Lord."  ' 
'  Trouble  is  near,  but  Thou  art  nearer ; ' 
'  Sin  is  near,  but  Thou  art  nearer ; ' 
'Death,  and  judgment,  and  eternity  arc  near,  but 
Thou  art  nearer.' 


280  JAMES   ROBERTSON. 

On  leaving,  there  were  the  kindly  parting  words  to 
the  servants,  as  usual,  in  addition  to  previous  talks. 
'  Good-bye,  M.  Walk  with  your  hand  in  the  pierced 
liand  of  the  Saviour.  .  .  .  Don't  look  in.  Always  he 
looking  out.'  '  Good-bye,  P. ;  I'll  hear  all  your  verses 
when  I  come  hack  again.'  He  had  said  to  her  before, 
'  Will  you  learn  a  verse  every  day,  P.  ?  That  will 
be  seven  verses  at  the  end  of  a  week,  you  know, 
and  365  in  a  year.  It's  nice  to  lie  down  at  night 
with  a  verse,  and  to  find  it  on  your  pillow  in  the 
morning,  the  first  thing  when  you  waken.'  The  learn- 
ing was  begun  at  once  for  his  sake. 

Well  for  us  that  we  often  say  our  last  good-byes 
without  knowing  of  it !  Otherwise  how  much  harder 
they  would  be ! 

After  his  Sabbath's  work  in  Aberdeen,  other  claims, 
unexpected,  prolonged  his  work  there  for  some  days. 
Then  a  short  and  often-promised  visit  was  paid  at 
Arbroath,  on  his  return  journey  to  his  Glasgow  home, 
which  was  reached  on  Friday. 

In  passing  Stirling  he  turned  aside  for  a  few  hours, 
among  the  scenes  and  friends  of  his  youth,  visiting 
the  old  church,  which,  from  association,  was  ever  dear 
to  him,  and  the  little  cottages  on  the  Castle  Hill, 
where,  in  his  student  days,  he  had  so  often  com- 
forted the  sick  and  the  sorrowful.  He  called,  in  his 
rapid,  radiant  way,  at  the  house  of  an  old  and  venerated 
friend,  where  he  found — what  always  cheered  him — a 


HOME.  281 

gathering  of  little  children.  After  throwing  himself, 
with  all  the  sympathy  of  his  nature,  into  their  sports 
for  a  few  minutes,  he  suddenly  paused,  and  asked  the 
question  (and  none  could  more  naturally  make  such 
a  transition),  '  Which  of  you  all  loves  Jesus  most  ? 
Is  it  you.  May  ?  or  you,  Sissy  ?  or  you  1- '  (naming  each 
in  turn).  '  There's  an  angel  in  this  room,  ready  to  go 
up  with  the  answer  !  What  will  it  be,  I  wonder  ? ' 
and  after  a  few  words  of  simple  prayer,  which  the 
youngest  could  understand,  and  ere  the  children  had 
recovered  their  surprise,  he  was  oft'! 

'  'Twas  even  as  if  an  angel  shook  his  wings.' 
His   old   friend,  when  telling  the  story  afterwards, 
said,  '  Four  days  later,  when  the  news  came   that   he 
was  taken  up,  we  thought  he  must  just  have  been  the 
angel  himself.' 

Saturday  found  him  in  Barrhead,  leading  in  prayer, 
and  addressing,  more  than  once,  a  Christian  conference, 
held  there,  in  the  afternoon,  '  with  great  unction  and 
tenderness.' 

We  are  told  by  the  Rev.  W.  Clark,  that  on  Sabbath 
he  spoke,  in  the  first  part  of  the  forenoon  service, 
from  Cant.  ii.  8-17,  specially  to  the  young,  for  his 
'  heart  clung  to  them,'  and  '  because  Jesus  said  to 
Peter,  "  Feed  My  lambs,"  before  He  said,  "  Feed  ]\ly 
sheep."  ' 

Describing  the  whole  passage  as  a  '  basket  of  silver 
filled  with  apples  of  gold/  he  said,  among  other  things. 


282  JAMES    ROBERTSOX. 

that  '  the  loving  invitation  "  Come  "  was  like  a  golden 
clasp  around  the  Bible.'  On  Monday  he  took  away 
eleven  written  answers  to  the  questions  given  out  at 
this  service. 

His  forenoon  text  (for  the  whole  congregation)  was 
Zech.  iii.  9  :  'I  will  remove  the  iniquity  of  that 
land  in  one  day ; '  from  which  he  referred  to  the 
finished  work  on  Calvary,  and  to  the  Pentecostal  out- 
pouring afterwards;  as  the  'model'  of  what  God  can 
do,  and  of  what  we  may  expect. 

In  the  intervals  after  the  forenoon  and  afternoon 
services,  he  rested  in  the  vestry,  to  save  the  exertion 
of  walking ;  but,  hearing  the  stDund  of  children's  voices 
singing  a  hymn  in  the  session-house,  he  was  drawn  in 
to  say  a  word  to  the  little  ones  there,  and  was  found 
giving  them  '  a  handful  of  sweeties,  which  the  more 
they  are  sucked  the  larger  they  gTow,  and  the  more 
they  are  given  away  the  more  we  have  to  ourselves  ! ' 
'  God  is  love  ! '  '  Cl^rist'  is  all.'  '  It  is  finished.' 
'  Look  to  Him.'     '  Lovest  thou  Me  ? ' 

He  also  addressed  a  few  loving  words  to  the  Sabbath 
school  in  the  church,  on  the-  16ve  of  Jesus — exhorting 
scholars  to  look  to  the-  bleeding  Lamb,  and  pointing 
teachers  to  tlie  starry  crown,  giTiciously  held  out  to 
His  faithful  servants. 

At  the  evening  service  he  made  some  beautiful 
remarks  on  the  23rd  Psalm,  when  giving  it  out  to  be 
sung  ;  and  again  supplied  '  tender  grass  for  the  lambs ' 
out  of  Zech.  xiv.  20,  21. 


HOME.  283 

His  text  was  2  Cor.  iv.  G  :  'The  face  of  Jesus  Christ.' 
He  began  by  making  a  touching  alhision  to  the 
faces  of  absent  ones.  At  the  close  of  one  sentence 
he  was  obhgecl  to  pause  for  a  moment,  evidently 
overcome  by  his  feelings,  and  then  proceeded  with 
calmness  and  steadiness.  He  referred  to  the  utter 
unsatisfactoriness  of  all  attempts  at  portraying  the 
face  of  Jesus  by  human  skill,  and  said  he  would  turn 
the  Bible  lamp  upon  that  face,  and  then  described 
it  as — 

'  ]\Iarred  and  mournful,'  turning  up  and  reading     Isa.  lii.  14. 
'  Fair  and  lovely,'  „  „  Ps.  xlv.  2. 

'  Once  pale  and  shrouded  in  death,'  ,,  John  xx.  7. 

*  Now  bright  with  gloryj  ,,.       Eev.  i.  13-lG. 

'  A  face  that  may  be  sought  and  fbund 

by  every  one,  here  and' now,'  „  Ps.  xxvii.  8. 

This  was  the  last  of  a  series  of  evangelistic  services. 

At  its  close,  the  preacher  invited  all  who  could  to 
remain,  that  he  mio-ht  further  address  them ;  and 
although  the  service  had.  lasted  an  hour  and  three- 
quarters,  such  a  large  number  remained,  both  in  the 
gallery  and  area,  that  he  continued  for  nearly  half  an 
hour  longer,  lovingly  applying  the  truth,  wdiilst  all 
present  were  listening  with  rapt  attention.  Never 
before  was  there  such  a  largely-attended  aftcr-raeet- 
ing  in  the  same  church. 

He  had  spoken  more  loudly  and  strongly  in  the 
evenincf  than  in  the  forenoon,  and   no  one  sane:  more 


284  JAMES   EOBERTSON. 

heartily  and  energetically  at  family  worship  than  he. 
The  hymn  sung  was  the  235th  in  the  Presbyterian 
Hymnal,  and  he  expressed  special  delight  in  the  lines — 

'  I  stand  upon  His  merit, 
I  know  no  otlier  stand  ; ' 

and  also  in  the  stanza  beiiinninof — 

'  With  mercy  and  with  judgment 
My  weh  of  time  He  wove. ' 

Next  morning,  in  a  quiet  talk,  he  asked  one  of  the 
young  people  of  the  manse  if  she  had  any  text  as  a 
motto,  and,  on  receiving  an  answer,  told  her  that  the 
favourite  verse  of  his  daughter  Jessie  was  :  '  Jesus, 
who  loved  me,  and  gave  Himself  for  me  ; '  and  re- 
ferring to  the  Latin  saying,  'Nulla  dies  sine  versu,' 
he  said  that  our  motto  should  be,  '  Xever  a  day  with- 
out a  soul.'  He  told  her  of  a  French  chemist,  who 
was  said  to  take  cupfuls  of  tears  and  turn  them  into 
sugar,  but  that  God  turned  sorrow  into  joy. 

In  course  of  conversation  with  another  of  the 
family,  he  told  her  that  when  we  were  thorough 
Christians,  we  were  saved  much  temptation.  People 
would  say,  '  It  is  of  no  use  trying  him,  he  is  thorough.' 
He  ended  the  conversation  by  blessing  her  in  the 
language  of  Numbers  vi.  24-26. 

On  leaving,  he  was  accompanied  by  the  whole  family 
to  the  gate,  and  he  said  this  was  '  an  apostolic  convoy.' 
He  would  be  back  again  '  any  day.'  His  presence  is 
still  real  and  living  in  the  scene  of  his  final  ministerial 


HOME.  285 

laljours,  and  the  feeling  of  privilege  and  favour  is 
still  strong  in  that  home  that  enjoyed  the  society 
and  ministrations  of  so  holy  and  loving  and  heavenly 
a  servant  of  God  over  the  last  Sabbath  of  his  life. 
On  the  way  to  the  train  he  and  Mr.  Clark  visited  an 
aged  sick  person  with  whom  he  had  been  acquainted 
long  before,  when  slie  was  a  nurse  in  the  family  of 
the  late  liev.  Dr.  John  Brown  of  Edinburgh.  He  left 
Barrhead  between  one  and  two  o'clock. 

On  Monday,  about  half-past  two,  he  reached  what 
he  playfully  called  his  Appii  Forum — resting-place  by 
the  way — in  Glasgow.  Though  his  cab  was  heard, 
there  was,  as  usual,  no  haste  in  opening  the  door,  for 
there  was  always  the  ten  minutes'  talk  with  the  cab- 
man— some  of  the  wayside  sowing — then  he  entered 
the  house  in  his  usual  warm,  bright  way,  and  began 
to  tell  of  his  happy  visit  to  Barrhead. 

In  his  youth  he  had  written,  '  I  wish,  with  Arch- 
bishop Usher,  to  die  with  the  words  of  the  publican 
on  my  lips  ;  with  Mrs.  Eowe,  to  die  on  my  knees ; 
with  Stephen,  to  die  calling  on  God,  and  saying, 
"  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my  spirit." ' 

Somewhat  late  he  retired  to  his  own  room,  to  write 
some  letters,  which  were  to  be  posted  in  the  morning. 
The  closing  words  of  one  of  them,  to  a  brother  in  the 
ministry,  were :  '  How  fast  our  days  are  running ! 
May  the  Lord  surprise  you  in  all  your  work  with  the 
richness  of  His  blessing  ! ' 

Shortly    before    midnight     his    bell    rang    sharply. 


286  JAMES   ROBERTSON. 

summoning  his  friends  to  his  room,  when  he  was 
found  to  be  suffering  from  one  of  Iiis  heart  spasms. 

'  This  is  serious,'  was  his  remark  on  seeing  them. 
He  was  able  only  to  utter  a  few  loving  messages  to 
tlie  absent,  and  to  his  '  dear  congregation.' 

After  prayer  had  been  offered  on  his  behalf,  he 
quoted  the  well-remembered  words,  '  Jesus  only,'  '  who 
loved  me,  and  gave  Himself  for  me,'  adding,  with  his 
dying  breath,  and  with  much  emphasis,  '  Precious 
blood.'  Restoratives  were  unavailing,  and  l;)y  the 
time  the  hastily-called  medical  attendant  had  arrived, 
consciousness  had  gone,  and  about  midnight  he  was 
'  beyond  the  flood,  within  the  vgil,  before  the  throne.' 

'  He  was  not,  for  God  took  him,' 

'  The  quiet  chamber  where  the  Christian  sleeps, 
And  where  from  day  to  day  he  prays  and  weeps, 
How  near  it  is  to  all  his  faith  can  see, 
How  short  and  easy  may  the  passage  be  ! 
One  gentle  sigh — one  feeble  struggle  o'er, 
May  land  him  safe  on  that  eternal  shore.' 

A  few  days  later,  the  mournful  procession  wended 
its  way  from  the  Newington  Church,  up  tlie  '  Via 
Dolorosa,'  as  he  used  to  call  the  road  leading  towards 
that  beautiful  garden  of  the  dead,  the  Grange 
Cemetery  ;  and,  as  the  precious  dust  was  laid  to  rest, 
the  melody  of  the  children's  voices  broke  the  silence 
and  the  sobs,  as  they  sang — 

'  There  is  a  better  world,  they  say, 
Oh,  so  bright  ! ' 


There  has  been  erected  in  the  Vestibule  uf 
Xewington  Church,  where  he  ministered,  a 
medallion  bust  in  marble,  bearing  the  follow- 
ing inscription  : — 


IN   MEMORY   OF 

THE  REVEREND  JAMES  ROBERTSON, 

THE   FIRST   MINISTER   OF  THIS   COXGREGATION. 

Inducted  12th  Octobee  1S4S.    Died  3rd  June  ISTO. 

Am  Able  and  Attractive  Minister  of  the  Word, 

A  Faithful  and  Devoted  Pastor, 

A  Prizkd  'Sox  of  Consolation." 

Rkdeeming  Love  was  his  Message,  The  Winning  of  Souls  his  Mission. 

The  Lambs  of  the  Flock  he  tended  with  special  care. 

'  A  Man  greatly  Beloved.' 

he  rests  from  his  labours,  and  his  works  do  follow  him. 


^|}ort  ^agings. 


A  FEW  gatherings  from  earlier  papers,  previous  to  his 
ministry  : — 

We  find  him  writing :  '  The  British  "  Verse-a-day 
Association,"  with  which  I  have  this  morning  con- 
nected myself  (28th  January  1832),  is  an  evidence 
of  some  stirring  excitement.  The  practice  is  quite 
analogous  to  that  of  gathering  the  manna  in  the 
morning.' 

His  characteristic  style  begins  to  appear  very  early 
in  his  occasional  remarks.  For  example — speaking  of 
chastisement — '  God  forbid  that  when  the  rod  is  so 
vocal,  I  may  refuse  to  hear  its  message  to  me.' 

*  Oh,  He  can  clear  the  darkest  skies. 
Can  give  me  day  for  night ; 
Make  streams  of  sacred  sorrow  rise 
To  rivers  of  delight.' 

He  writes  :  '  I  have  come  from  witnessing  a  dying 
scene.     It  outpreaches  the  loudest  preachers.' 

'  We  pray  for  a  blessing  on  our  daily  rod,  as  well 
as  on  our  daily  bread.' 

'  I  have  no  indemnity  from  disappointment  and 
T 


290  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

defeat ;  but  I  have  a  pledge  that  they  shall  be 
salutary.' 

'  It  is  the  hungry  Thou  fillest.  To  huy  in  this 
market  is  to  hcrj.  "  Buy  without  money  and  without 
price." ' 

Speaking  of  what  ought  to  be  the  terms  of  ad- 
mission to  the  Lord's  table,  he  says  :  '  Who  would  not 
open  his  arms  to  receive,  at  this  marriage  feast,  those 
people  he  would  rejoice  to  sit  down  with  at  the 
celestial  supper  of  the  Lamb  ! ' 

' .  .  .  That  uniform  purity  of  motive  which  saves 
from  that  grand  source  of  embarrassment — the  fear  of 
man.' 

'  To  do  good,  and  to  receive  evil,  is  the  lot  of  every 
one  who  will  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  the  Saviour.' 

'  Give  us  the  heavenly  use  of  earthly  things.  Let  us 
not,  like  many  profane  Esaus,  for  a  mess  of  pottage 
sell  our  inheritance.' 

'  There  is  a  bank  of  Providence,  which  dishonours 
presumption,  but  which  honours  faith — a  bank  which 
is  shut  to  indolence,  imprudence,  and  carelessness,  but 
which  is  open  to  diligence,  wisdom,  and  prayer.' 

'  To  barter  away  the  joys  and  comforts  of  the  favour 
of  God,  for  the  manifold  misery  of  those  who  cannot 
stand  in  judgment — "  no  madness  half  so  desperate  as 
this."  ' 

'  It  is  a  divine  art  to  preach  to  our  own  hearts  what 
we  find  in  the  book  of  God,  and  to  make  it  answer 
the  purpose  of  exercising  devout  affections.' 


SHORT    SAYINGS.  291 

'  If  ever  there  is  a  time  when  the  integrity  of  a 
sincere  minister  is  severely  tried,  it  is  when  he  goes  to 
the  house  of  mourning,  to  soothe  a  doating  parent 
bereft  of  a  chiki,  at  the  age  of  maturity,  who,  while 
the  state  of  mind  and  course  of  habits  of  neither  have 
been  those  of  one  on  the  way  to  heaven,  is  administer- 
ing to  himself  the  opiate  of  a  false  consolation,  that 
the  beloved  lost  one  is  gone  thither.  He  talks  per- 
haps as  if  the  sufferings  of  the  body  had  procured  the 
salvation  of  the  soul.  He  is  keeping  himself  easy,  or 
looking  wistfully  for  comfort.  How  shall  the  friend 
heal  the  wound  without  lulling  the  soul  of  the  sur- 
vivor into  security  ?  Oh,  it  is  a  propitious  moment 
for  making  an  impression  1 ' 

'  To  have  our  own  desire  is  of  all  others  '  the  most 
formidable  fate."  With  such  prosperity  He  may  send 
leanness  to  our  soul.  When  Jonah  in  his  flight  came 
down  to  the  seashore,  he  found  a  ship  just  ready  to 
sail.  Was  that  a  test  of  Jonah's  innocence,  or  of  the 
Divine  approbation  ? ' 

'  As  creatures  we  have  no  right,  and  as  believers — 
as  new  creatures — we  have  no  reason,  to  murmur.' 

'  Why  do  we  recognise  the  good  as  fellow-Christians 
in  the  parlour,  but  treat  them  as  heathen  men  and 
publicans  at  the  table  of  the  Lord  ? ' 

'  His  unsearchable  sovereignty  silences  —  His  un- 
searchable love  satisfies  me.' 

'  Nature  said,  "  Curse  God  and  die  ;  "  but  grace 
whispered,  "Trust  God  and  live.'" 


292  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

'  Let  us  prefer  the  unspeakable  satisfaction  of  finding 
where  truth  lies,  to  the  pitiful  distinction  of  appearing 
drenched  in  the  petrifying  waters  of  a  party,  and  vin- 
dicating our  own  waywardness.' 

'  Let  me  think  of  my  own  frailties.  For  every  one 
such  in  another  I  will  find  two  in  myself ;  nor  will 
they  be  far  to  seek.' 

'  It  is  religion  alone  that  can  blunt  the  arrows  of 
pain,  and  brighten  the  gloom  of  calamity.' 

'  Various  sects  maintain  a  sleepless  jealousy  of  each 
other's  treatment  of  the  word  of  God,  and  thus  jointly 
afibrd  a  pledge  for  the  purity  of  the  great  fountain  of 
truth.  If  that  Bible  were  read  by  angels  in  heaven, 
it  would  occasion  no  discordant  sentiments  and  feelings 
there.  It  is  to  our  depravity  that  all  sectarianism  is 
to  be  traced.' 

'  Let  us  endeavour  to  ascertain  the  literal  or  first 
meaning  of  a  text  before  we  look  on  any  other.  This 
is  the  foundation  on  which  every  other  sense  must 
rest ;  and  it  will,  when  known,  exceedingly  assist  us 
in  obtaining  a  clear,  full,  and  useful  view  of  any 
deeper  meaning,  or  any  practical  improvement  which 
the  passage  may  afibrd  or  impart.' 

'  I  am  resolved  to  read  scarcely  one  of  the  trouble- 
some mosquito-swarm  of  polemic  letters,  and  replies, 
and  appeals,  and  vindications,  and  inqiiiries,  that  flit 
past  me  every  day.  The  maxims  of  the  fiery  lovers  of 
contention  are  in  flagitious  contrast  to  apostolic  precept 
and  example.  .  .  .' 


SHORT    SAYINGS.  293 

'  The  credit  of  Christianity  as  well  as  the  healing  and 
purity  of  the  Church  eminently  call  for  none  to  stand 
forward  on  the  field  day,  but  those  who  have  greatness 
enough  of  spirit  to  pass  by  the  littleness  of  personal 
attack,  who  have  coolness  and  meekness  of  wisdom 
enough  never  to  misstate  an  opponent,  never  to  adduce 
a  doubtful  fact,  or  overcharge  a  true  one, — in  short,  to 
'  strive  lawfully.'  It  may  be  hoped  that  the  atmo- 
sphere of  the  Church  will  not  be  darkened  with 
swarms  of  irascible  spirits,  that  eat  up  everything 
green  and  pleasant.' 

*  It  need  not  follow  that  the  sober,  solid  defence  of 
truth  should  become  matter  of  indifference.' 

'  It  is  disheartening  to  think  of  the  small,  stinted, 
shrivelled  souls  that  cry  "  Home,  Home,"  and  would 
shut  up  Christianity  in  a  little  corner.  God  says, 
"  Go,  preach  to  every  creature."  Satan  says,  and  his 
emissaries  on  earth  say,  "  What  have  we  to  do  with 
every  creature  ?  Let  us  do  what  our  hand  findeth  to 
do  at  home."  Who  is  on  the  Lord's  side  ?  and  who 
on  Satan's  ? ' 

'  They  have  plenty  to  spend  on  noxious  drugs  and 
superfluous  refinements,  but,  when  we  apply  for  some- 
thing to  put  into  the  Christian  treasury,  they  assure 
us  they  have  nothing  to  spare.  The  world  and  the 
Church  should  be  as  distinct  as  the  sun,  moon,  and 
stars  from  the  clods  of  the  valley.' 


-94  JAMES    EOBERTSON. 


Eater   Saoinrjs. 

'  All  is  needful  that  He  sends ;  nothing  can  be 
needful  that  He  withholds.' 

'  Paul  says  of  the  "  thorn  in  the  flesh,  the  messenger 
of  Satan,"  "  there  was  given  me."  Yes,  even  a  messenger 
from  Satan  is  a  gift  and  a  mercy,  however  unwel- 
come, when  the  Lord  elicits  from  his  visit  "  our 
sanctification."  ' 

'  Simple  remedy  of  sin  and  sorrow,  to  believe  the 
love  of  God  !  We  do  not  run  as  we  ought  in  the 
way  to  heaven,  because  w6  do  not  love,  and  we  do 
not  love  because  we  do  not  know  how  much  we  arc 
loTcd! 

'  The  afflicted,  like  the  poor,  we  have  always  with  us 
till  death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory.' 

'  God  keeps  a  school  for  His  children  here  on  earth, 
and  one  of  His  best  teachers  is  named  Disappointment 
— a  rough  old  pedagogue,  stern  in  tone,  and  harsh  in 
handling,  but  his  lessons  are  well  worth  all  that  they 
cost.' 

'  It  is  a  very  easy  thing  to  be  a  modern  Christian, 
but  a  very  difficult  thing  to  be  a  Scriptural  one.' 

'  Let  me  no  longer  resist  or  hinder  Divine  communi- 
cations, or  seek  delight  without  God — seek  joy  and 
sweetness  in  the  gall  of  bitterness — the  living  in  the 
place  of  the  dead.' 

'  Holiness  in  the  soul  from  its  beiniir  a  o-rain  of  nius- 


SHORT   SAYINGS.  295 

tard  seed  to  the  tallness  and  greenness  of  the  cedar  in 
Lebanon,  must  be  Thy  doing,  0  Spirit  of  the  Lord.' 

'  May  the  Lord  find  His  "  whole  armour  "  on  us,  and 
help  us  to  keep  it  bright  by  constant  use.' 

'  It  looks  like  a  contradiction,  and  yet  how  true, 
'  "  Take  My  yoke,  and  you  shall  find  rest." ' 
'  "  The  burden  I  impose  shall  ease  the  heart." ' 

'  How  sweet  the  gift  !  "  My  peace."  It  is  heart's 
ease — a  house  on  a  rock — heaven  begun  !  ' 

'  Dread  .  .  .  turning  aside  after  "  the  instruction 
that  causeth  to  err  ;  "  or  taking  up  with  something 
that  looks  like  conversion,  but  is  not ;  or  with  that 
empty  formal  profession,  which  pacifies  so  many 
people's  fears,  and  lets  them  keep  their  sins.' 

'  Though  sin  molest  me  as  an  enemy,  never  shall  I, 
through  grace,  harbour  it  as  a  friend.' 

'  Carnality  of  mind  is  in  the  inverse  ratio  in  which 
it  is  felt.' 

'  My  religion  is  at  a  low  ebb  when  I  please  myself 
with  the  discharge  of  external  duties.' 

'  Can  my  sincerity  in  religion  stand  the  test  of 
seclusion  ? ' 

'  May  our  fiery  trials  embitter  sin  and  earth,  and 
endear  holiness  and  heaven  ! ' 

'  What  joys  we  have  hy  the  ivay  !  but  the  moment 
we  rest  in  them,  they  become,  like  the  quails  to 
Israel,  poison.' 

'  Oh  that  our  eye  may  never  be  taken  off  the  "  rest 
that  remaineth."     Eest    is    not  our   portion   here  at 


296  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

all.  His  holiness  will  not  let  us  rest  where  there  is 
sin.  His  love  will  not  let  us  rest  where  there  is 
sorrow.  There  remaineth  a  rest  for  us — God's  own 
rest.  There  will  be  neither  sin  nor  sorrow  there. 
There  will  be  Himself  there,  and  we  shall  rest  in 
Him.' 

'  Friendship  with  the  Lord  Jesus  is  a  calmly  con- 
fiding thing.  It  is  in  no  hurry  to  judge  anything 
"  before  the  time  "  when  the  mystery  of  His  providence 
shall  be  completed  and  explained.' 

'  A  minister  cannot  do  a  kinder  thing  than  occa- 
sionally go  down  amongst  his  hearers  with  his 
spiritual  stethoscope.' 

'  Spiritual  decline  is  a  disease  which  ought  to  be 
zealously  watched.' 

'  To  ascend  the  pulpit  is  an  honour  more  noble, 
a  joy  more  pure,  than  even  going  up  the  steps  of  an 
earthly  throne,  to  wear  an  earthly  crown.' 

'  "  Christ  died,"  "  Christ  rose  again."  These  are 
the  caskets  in  which  are  contained  the  gems  of  the 
sinner's  salvation.' 

'  If  ye  be  not  saved,  it  will  be  for  any  reason 
rather  than  that  you  had  no  Saviour.' 

'  Is  not  this  communion-table  the  nmtual  forget-me- 
not  between  Jesus  and  His  friends  ? ' 

'  I  fear  the  effect  of  sermons  is  often  blighted  by 
parental  levity  or  criticism  of  ministers  on  the  way 
home.' 

'  I    look    on    every    church    member    as    a  talent 


SHORT   SAYINGS.  297 

given  me  from  God,  and  He  is  saying  to  me  : 
"  Occupy  till  I  come."  ' 

'  We  do  not  receive  because  we  ask  not ;  we  do  not 
ask  because  we  do  not  feel  ;  we  do  not  feel  because 
we  do  not  believe.' 

'  Don't  mock  God  by  asking  Him  in  prayer  for  what 
you  do  not  want.' 

'  Clouds  of  blessing  are  over  our  head.  "Will  not 
our  united  prayers  bring  the  blessing  down  ? ' 

' "  For  ever  with  the  Lord."  Isn't  that  one  of  the 
hymns  that  makes  us  feel  home-sick  ? ' 

'  I  believe  it  is  easier  to  go  about  during  a  lifetime 
and  preach  day  and  night,  than  to  sit  still  and  bear 
God's  rod  with  calm  resignation.' 

'  Some  people,  when  they  get  up  in  the  world, 
forget  their  old  friends.  Though  Jesus  has  "  gone  up 
on  high,"  He  forgets  none,  not  even  the  least.' 

Some  sentences  from  sermons  preached  on  a  Fast- 
day  in  Collace  in  1854  : — 

Speaking  on  Psalm  xliii.  4 — '  I  will  go  to  the 
altar  of  God,  to  God  my  exceeding  joy  ' — he  said  :  '  Too 
many  go  to  the  Lord's  table  forgetting  God  beyond  it 
■ — as  if  coming  to  the,  fingcr-'post  were  reaching  the  town! 

On  another  text  :  '  Real  religion  is  an  echo,  an 
echo  of  God's  testimony  in  the  soul.' 

'  In  the  blood  of  Christ  sins  will  sink,  and  the 
sinner  will  swim.' 


298  JAMES   ROBERTSON. 

'  The  life  of  the  unforgiven  man  is  one  great 
funeral  procession.' 

'  All  Christians  must  work.  What  would  happen 
in  battle  if  only  the  officers  fought  ? ' 

faints  ©roppeli  at  Stcfe  Bctis. 

'  To  recollect  a  promise  of  the  Bible  to  the  chief  of 
sinners — this  is  substance.' 

'  The  Bible  gives  us  something  to  Jiold.  "  It  is  I,  be 
not  afraid."  'No  comfort  enters  sick  curtains  from  any- 
other  quarter.' 

'  He  thinks  thoughts  of  peace,  while  I  indulge 
thoughts  of  evil.  He  intends  us  better  than  we  give 
Him  credit  for.' 

'  I  hope  I  know  my  refuge  and  fly  to  it.  I  find  my 
foundation  able  to  bear  me.' 

'  Is  God  your  end,  Christ  your  way,  and  the  Spirit 
your  guide  ? ' 

'  He  that  sends  the  storm  is  steering  the  vessel,  is 
He  not  ? ' 

'  We  see  how  we  should  live,  perhaps  an  hour  before 
we  die' 


Extracts  from  Hcttrrs. 


Extracts  from  letters  to  a  young  friend  in  his  con- 
gregation, beginning  with  personal  teaching,  and 
guiding  during  a  series  of  years  in  labours  of  Christian 
usefulness : — 

'  They  were  golden  words  that  Legli  Eichmond 
uttered,  when  not  far  from  the  end  of  his  pilgrimage  : 
"  It  is  only  by  coming  to  Jesus  as  a  little  child,  and 
as  for  the  first  time,  that  I  can  get  peace  at  any 
moment."  It  was  not  from  his  present  holy  feelings, 
or  from  anything  about  himself  at  all,  that  he  main- 
tained his  cheerful  piety,  but  hourly,  momentarily,  he 
came,  as  he  had  come  at  first,  to  Jesus,  "  as  a  little 
child  ;  "  and  by  thus  "  holding  fast "  what  gave  him 
confidence  at  the  first,  he  kept  his  confidence  "  firm 
unto  the  end."  Does  not  the  work  of  Jesus  take  for 
granted  that  you  and  I  are  ivJiat  we  are,  and  nothing- 
else  ?  The  multitude  of  our  temptations,  the  black- 
ness of  our  guilt,  only  make  the  open  mercy-seat  the 
more  suitable  for  us  both.  Blessed  be  God,  we  can 
feel  safe,  and  yet  remember  that  we  are  vile ;  we  can 
approach  the   blood-sprinkled  throne  boldly,   without 


300  JAMES    EOBERTSON. 

forgetting  how  vile  we  are.  Let  ns  ever  take  our 
stand  side  by  side  with  the  publican,  the  prodigal,  the 
dying  thief,  owning  that  in  ourselves  we  are  vile  as 
they,  and  as  deeply  indebted  to  the  riches  of  redeem- 
ing grace.' 

'  "  Satan  hath  desired  to  have  thee,"  my  dear  friend, 
"  that  he  may  sift  thee  as  wheat."  Wheat  in  the 
sieve,  and  the  sieve  in  the  hand  of  the  great  adver- 
sary !  What  can  seem  more  helpless  than  that  ? 
But  Jesus  has  been  beforehand  with  him.  "  I  have 
prayed  for  thee,  that  thy  faith  fail  not."  Satan 
watches  to  destroy  you  and  me.  Jesus  watches  to 
save  us.  Satan  hates,  Jesus  loves.  Satan  is  cunning, 
Jesus  is  all-wise.  Satan  is  strong,  Jesus  is  omni- 
potent. "  Resist  the  enemy,  and  he  will  flee  from 
you."  "  Resist,"  by  presenting  Jesus  to  him — Jesus, 
as  having  conquered  for  you.  Present  Jesus,  in  the 
greatness  of  the  work  He  has  accomplished,  in  the 
fulness  of  grace  treasured  up  in  Him,  and  the 
victory  will  be  half-achieved  before  you  begin  to 
fight.  Never  can  you  be  so  strong  as  when  casting 
your  very  weakness  on  Him — banging  on  Him — 
trusting  Him,  "  according  to  His  ivorcl."  Go  to  the 
God  of  love,  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  and  with  the  sword 
of  that  word  He  will  smite  the  tempter,  and  he  cannot 
but  "  flee."  "  Whom  resist,  stedfast  in  the  faith." 
Every  other  grace  brings  something.  Faith  brings 
nothing  but  an  empty  hand,  and  receives  a  full  Christ.' 


EXTRACTS    FROM    LETTERS.  301 

'  Indeed,  I  know  no  other  Eefuge  than  God  in 
Christ,  .  .  .  And  what  other  way  can  there  be  of 
entering  that  Eefuge  than  simple  trust  ?  ...  Is  not 
the  Scripture  so  worded  as  precisely  to  teach  us  this  ? 
"  They  looked  v.nto  Hiiii,  and  were  lightened."  "  Look 
unto  Me,  and  be  ye  saved."  "  Let  not  your  heart  be 
troubled."  Why  ?  Where  is  the  antidote  ?  "  Ye 
believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  Me."  ' 

'  Yes,  in  Jesus  we  have  all,  in  ourselves  nothing.  It 
is  not  on  our  own  experience  we  must  try  to  live,  but 
on  Jesus  alone.  The  well  of  salvation  is  not  within  us, 
but  without  ;  and  from  its  exhaustless  depths  we  must 
draw  and  drink  for  ever.' 

'  The  sole  but  sure  support  of  the  heart,  under  down- 
casting  and  deep  heaviness,  is  realizing  by  faitli  "  the 
Lord  our  Eighteousness."  ' 

'  Being  justified  by  faith  in  this  truth,  we  have  peace 
with  God,  and  that  peace  makes  the  soul  strong  both 
for  doing  and  suffering  our  Father's  will. 

'  Dwell  much  on  the  idea  of  goxice,  reigning,  royal 
grace, — grace  to  the  chief  of  sinners, — grace  coming 
through  such  a  glorious  channel,  over  all  the  moun- 
tains of  sin.  "  He  is  7iear  that  justifieth  me,  luho  shall 
contend  with  me  ?  "  We  plead  "  guilty  before  God," 
inexcusably  guilty  ; — and  yet,  as  standing  in  Jesus, 
we  may  plead  "  not  guilty  ; "  for  His  grace  has 
redeemed  us  from  the  sin  to  which  we  pleaded  guilty 
before.      "  This  is  the  victory  that  overcometh  "  de- 


302  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

pressions,  misgivings,  despondencies  — "  even  our 
faith  ; "  and  our  faith  overcometh  by  identifying  ns 
with  "  Jesns  Christ  the  Righteous."  ' 

'  Hearts  beating  high  with  love  to  Christ  and  love 
to  souls  can  only  be  the  result  of  a  close  walk  with 
God.  Therefore,  w^ith  all  my  heart  do  I  accord  with 
the  longing  you  express  for  "a  closer  walk,"  for 
having  our  spiritual  affections  so  cleansed  and  elevated, 
that  we  shall  love,  with  a  deep,  earnest  love,  all  holy 
things. — "  To  be  spiritually  minded  is  (indeed)  life  and 
peace  " — to  be  so  imbued,  penetrated,  and  possessed  by 
the  Spirit  of  God,  that  sin  shall  be  shunned  and  loathed, 
not  merely  from  principle,  but  from  taste ;  and  then, 
towards  thoughts  and  exercises  that  have  in  them  any- 
thing of  a  Divine  element,  we  turn  with  a  readiness 
and  vivacity  which  indicate  the  sweetest  harmony 
between  ourselves  and  them.  This  is  "  glorious 
liberty,"  the  liberty  of  being  bound  to  God  ;  but  it  is 
a  liberty  which  nothing  can  maintain  or  cherish, 
except  growing  familiarity  with  the  Atoning  Blood, 
and  the  sweet  savour  of  the  Great  Sacrifice.' 

'  We  need  not  disturb  the  seed  in  order  to  see  it 
grow.  The  harvest  vjill  come,  though  no  springing 
blade  now  appear  to  gladden  the  sower's  eye.  How 
often,  unknown  to  us,  must  blessed  spirits  round  the 
throne  be  called  upon  to  strike  their  sweetest  notes 
over  prodigals  returned !  We  hope  to  hear  their 
anthems  and  to  join  in  them  ere  long.' 


EXTRACTS    FROM    LETTERS.  303 

'  Giving  up  our  own  will  to  be  conformed  to  His  ! 
It  is  the  best,  the  only  liberty.  And  we  "  are  called 
unto  liberty,"  as  well  as  "  unto  holiness."  Yea,  we 
shall  abound  in  holiness  just  in  proportion  as  we 
realize  our  blood-bought  liberty, — "  the  liberty  where- 
with Christ  hath  (not  will  at  length,  but  "  hath " 
already)  made  us  free." ' 

'  (Caledonian  Canal.) 

'  No  lack  of  leisure  here,  where,  for  two  full  days, 
we  have  been  meeting  with  the  not-unusual  friendly 
salutation  of  these  West  Highlands — -an  "  even-down 
pour."  We  are  kept  almost  close  prisoners  in  our 
cabin,  and  only  from  the  windows  can  we  catch 
glimpses  of  the  high — the  deep — the  vast — of  what 
is  beautiful  and  what  is  awful ;  but  how  wondrously 
fitted  they  all  are  to  feed,  by  ceaseless  novelty,  the 
fire  of  devotion  !  Might  not  half  the  number  of  blades 
of  grass,  and  trees,  and  flowers  have  availed,  if  our  God 
had  restricted  His  goodness  to  what  was  just  sufficient  ? 
But  this  is  not  His  measure.  Both  in  nature  and  in 
grace.  He  giveth  exceeding  abundantly  above  all  that 
we  can  ask  or  think.  It  is  not  solitude  to  be  in  the 
presence  of  Him  who  "  filleth  all  in  all " — who  "  weighs 
the  mountains  in  scales,  and  the  hills  in  a  balance."  ' 

'  Oh  that  He,  who  has  "  set  His  heart  on  man,"  may 
inspire  us  with  a  larger  portion  of  His  own  boundless 
and  tender  charity !  Can  we  set  our  hearts  too 
yearningly  on  the  bringing  of  some  of  His  many 
sons  to  glory  ?  ' 


304  JAMES   ROBERTSOIi. 

To  another  : — 

'  I  was  disappointed  at  the  failure  of  our  joint 
scheme.  .  .  .  Since  we  have  taken  the  Lord  to  be 
our  ivisdom,  though  He  may  see  fit  to  lead  us  by 
roads  both  rough  and  roundabout,  yet  quite  sure  we 
are  that  His  guidance  of  us  all  our  journey  through  is 
wondrously  wise,  yea,  more  than  any  other  could 
be,  wondrously  adapted  to  bring  us  in  safety  to  our 
journey's  end.  This  is  a  life  of  waiting,  and  waiting 
on  the  Lord  we  "  shall  renew  our  strength,  run  and 
not  be  weary,  walk  and  not  faint." 

'  I  have  been  preaching  on  Satan's  devices,  and  his 
"  fiery  darts,"  and  it  is  our  rich  comfort  to  know  tliat 
even  these  our  Father — our  reconciled  Father — turns 
into  ploughshares  and  pruning  hooks,  for  the  culture 
of  the  soul,  and  for  the  increase  of  the  fruits  of 
holiness.  However  hard  the  fight  be,  however  sore 
the  stroke  we  get  from  the  enemy,  "  all  is  safe "  (as 
old  John  Welch  of  Ayr  said)  "  so  long  as  the  heart 
is  guarded  by  the  breastplate  of  righteousness." 
Yes,  it  is  simple,  hearty  cleaving  unto  Jesus  as  our 
all  for  righteousness,  and  dealing  trustfully  with  the 
blood  of  Christ,  which  maintains  in  the  conscience  the 
blessed  reign  of  peace,  which  is  the  grand  secret  of 
all  spiritual  power,  and  all  prosperous  achievement. 
Truly  the  liberty  of  God's  children  is  "  glorious 
liberty."  The  joy  of  the  Lord  is  strength.  Joy  is  a 
means  of  grace  to  us,  and  prepares  us  for  receiving 
more  abundantly  gospel  consolations.' 


EXTEACTS    FROM    LETTERS.  305 

' .  .  .  Christ  is  our  life — the  more  we  know  find 
lieheve  this,  the  greater  vitality  shall  be  imparted  to 
all  our  movements.  Our  life  is  in  heaven,  beyond  the 
reach  of  wounds,  subject  to  no  changes,  weakened  by 
no  time,  "  hid  with  Christ  in  God."  Satan  cannot 
find  it,  far  less  destroy  it.  "  God  is  the  strength  of 
my  life,  of  whom  shall  I  be  afraid  ? "  Let  us  stir 
each  other  up  to  live  for  glory,  and  "  so  much  the 
more  as  we  see  the  day  approaching."  ' 

From  letters  to  Mrs.  IJ. : — 

'  What  a  heart-quieter  that  is,  "  Even  so.  Father  "  ! 

' .  .  .  I  trust  you  are  experiencing  more  and  more 
of  that  rejoicing  confidence  in  God  which  extin- 
guishes the  fear  of  terror,  and  keeps  alive  the  fear  of 
sin.  The  truth  about  Christ's  love  in  dying  for  us,  so 
far  from  being  a  soporific,  is  the  very  stimulus  to 
holiness,  changing  it  from  a  thing  of  force  to  a  thing 
of  freedom,  from  being  a  service  of  drudgery  to  being 
a  service  of  delight.' 

'.  .  .  If  we  think  of  God  only  as  a  righteous  Law- 
giver and  Judge,  invincible  in  power  to  punish  us  for 
our  sins,  the  idea  of  His  presence  must  be  oppressively 
awful.  If  we  have  only  vague  views  of  His  general 
mercy,  His  presence  will  in  no  way  attract  us. 
But  when  we  see  Him  in  Jesus  as  Just  and  yet 
the  Justifier,  not  clearing  the  guilty  by  any  means, 
yet   forgiving    iniquity,   transgression,    and    sin,    then 

u 


306  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

His  very  justice  and  holiness  become  winning — we 
flee  to  Him  with  wondering  confidence.  With  a 
reverence  of  His  character  which  enhances  our  joy,  we 
hide  beneath  the  shadow  of  His  wing.  It  is  just  in 
proportion  as  we  keep  full  in  view  His  gracious,  holy 
character,  as  our  reconciled  Father  in  Christ,  that  the 
recollection  of  His  presence  will  inspire  us  with  delight, 
and  make  our  path  through  life  all  radiant.' 

'  I  fondly  trust,  my  dear  friend,  that  you  are  so  much 
in  the  habit  of  referring  everything  to  God  as  a  personal 
Friend  in  Christ,  that  the  reference  has  become  as  it 
were  instinctive — that  no  special  effort  of  mind  is  now 
needed  to  recall  the  nearness  of  God,  that  you  feel 
sweetly  conscious  of  it  as  you  do  of  the  light  and 
warmth  of  day.  .  .  .  Let  us  live  at  no  uncertainty  as 
to  our  state  before  God,  and  let  ns  be  satisfied  with 
nothing  less  and  nothing  lower  than  the  clear,  deep 
seal  of  the  Spirit  that  we  are  Christ's.  The  more  you 
have  of  this,  you  will  get  the  faster  on,  on  your  way 
to  heaven. 


Sermons  to   ^!jiltircn> 


Scijocls. 


Before  reading  the  text,  shall  I  tell  you,  my  dear 
3'oung  friends,  how  very  much  I  love  you,  and  how 
glad  it  makes  my  heart  to  see  your  sunny  faces. 

Who  is  the  happiest  child  in  this  house  ?     Who  ? 

I  could  answer  that  question,  even  though  I  had 
never  seen  the  child,  and  though  I  don't  know  its 
name.  The  happiest  child  here  is  the  child  wlio 
reads  the  Bible  most,  believes  the  Bible  most,  and 
loves  the  Bible  most. 

My  boy,  is  that  you  ?  If  so,  I  expect  that  you'll 
be  standing  in  the  pulpit  some  day,  and  preaching 
children's  sermons.  And  one  of  the  difficulties  of 
doing  it  you'll  find  to  be,  the  difficulty  of  fixing  on 
a  text.  There's  such  a  variety  in  the  Bible.  The 
Bible  is  a  tree  with  so  many  widespreading  branches, 
and  twigs,  and  leaves.  You  have  been  admiring 
beautiful  Christmas  trees.  But  come  and  see  this 
wondrous  tree  of  heaven. 

The  branches  of  this  tree  are  the  books  of  the 
Bible.  How  many  in  the  Old  Testament?  (39.) 
AndintheXew?     (27.) 


308  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

Add  these  together,  and  you  have  a  tree  with  how 
many  branches?  (QQ.)  Then  this  tree  has  got  twigs, 
and  the  twigs  are  the  chapters,  1189  of  tliem.  There 
are  leaves  too  on  the  Bible  tree.  Every  verse  is  a 
leaf.  There  are  31,173  leaves  waving  here  in  all 
their  beauty,  for  they  are  '  always  green.' 

And  the  tree  is  all  laden,  laden  with  fruit.  See 
the  rich  clusters.  How  low  they  bend  !  Any  little 
child  may  pluck  them.  And  you  may  eat  as  much 
as  you  please. 

Come  and  let  us  sit  together  a  little  while  under 
the  shadow  of  the  tree  of  life,  and  may  we  find  sweet 
to  our  taste  the  fruit  which  grows  on  the  branch  now 
by  me — the  third  twig  of  the  last  branch  of  the  Ohl 
Testament. 

Malachi  iii.  What  little  scholar  will  be  so  kind  as 
read  for  me  at  the  16th  leaf  ?  '  Then  they  that  feared 
the  Lord  spake  often  one  to  another:  and  the  Lord 
hearkened,  and  heard  it ;  and  a  book  of  remembrance 
was  written  before  Him  for  them  that  feared  tlie 
Lord,  and  that  thought  on  His  name.' 

A'er.  17?'  And  they  shall  be  mine,  saitli  the  Lord 
of  hosts,  in  the  day  when  I  make  up  my  jewels ;  and 
I  will  spare  them,  as  a  man  spareth  his  own  son  tliat 
servetli  liim.' 

We're  not  going  to  take  the  whole  of  that  for  our 
t(xt.  No.  We'll  only  pick  out,  at  present,  a  few 
words  that  lie  in  the  middle  of  the  l7tli  verse.  'The 
(\ay  when  I  make  up  my  jewels.' 


SERMONS    TO    CHILDREN.  309 

Or,  it  may  help  you,  very  little  ones,  to  reniGinljer 
it  all  the  better,  if  we  just  take  these  two  words  : 
'  My  jewels.' 

It  is  the  last  Sabbath  of  the  year.  The  last 
Sabbath's  sun  has  set.  How  many  months  is  it  since 
we  met  the  old  year  first  ?  How  many  weeks  is 
that  ?  We  have  had  a  long  series  of  Sabbath  services 
and  Sabbath-school  meetings  since  this  time  twelve 
months  ;  and  these  all,  with  their  voices  of  love  and 
mercy,  of  warning  and  instruction,  will  presently  be 
gone — gone,  with  their  account,  to  God,  their  account 
of  the  manner  in  which  they  have  been  used. 

It  was  the  thought  of  this  last  day  that  led  me  to 
think  of  that  last  day — the  day  when  Jesus  shall 
make  up  His  jewels. 

All  the  Sabbaths  of  this  year  Jesus  has  been  stretch- 
ing out  His  hands.  Many  a  message  has  He  sent  by 
me,  rising  up  early  and  sending.  Yet  are  there  not  some 
unsaved  ?  The  year  about  ended,  and  you  not  saved  ! 
And  is  His  patience  worn  out  ?  Xo.  His  hands  are 
stretched  out  still.  And,  on  this  last  Sabbath  of  the 
year,  He  stands  and  cries,  '  How  shall  I  give  you  up, 
sinners — how  give  you  up  ? '  As  if  the  more  careless 
some  souls  become,  the  more  concerned  He  is  for 
them.  He  stands  and  cries  more  loudly,  more  clearly, 
more  freely  than  ever :  '  I  want  you  to  believe  My 
love.' 

'  My  jewels.'  Of  ivliom  is  He  speaking  ?  Is  it  of 
seraphs  ?      Is   it   of    angels  ?      No.     It   is   of    sinful 


310  JAMES    PtOBERTSOX. 

children  of  the  dust,  once  rude,  unshapely  stones, 
lying  in  the  horrible  pit  and  the  miry  clay,  amid 
the  rubbish  of  corruption  ;  but  His  love  has  sought 
and  found  them,  and  raises  them  to  gem,  throughout 
eternity,  the  Brow  that  once  was  wreathed  with 
thorns. 

Converted  children  are  the  jewels  of  Jesus ;  and 
there's  a  day  coming  when  Jesus  will  make  up  His 
jewels. 

What  was  it  ?  Converted  children  are  the  jewels 
of  Jesus. 

And  I  name  to  you  as  many  reasons  as  there  are 
fingers  on  that  hand  why  they,  are  called  His  jewels. 

Because  they  are  precious.  Because  they  shine. 
Because  they  are  safely  kept.  Because  He  polishes 
them ;  and  because  He  prepares  to  set  them  in  His 
crown. 

1st  Reason.  Because  they  are  precious.  Some  of 
this  world's  jewels  are  worth  a  great  deal.  Cleopatra, 
Queen  of  Egypt,  had  one  so  large  and  beautiful,  that 
it  cost  £80,000.  I  have  read  of  another,  possessed 
by  an  emperor  of  Persia.  It  was  of  the  size  of  a 
pigeon's  egg,  finely  shaped,  reflecting  the  richest  lustre, 
and  valued  at  £110,000.  A  ship  was  once  sent  over 
to  South  America  in  order  to  secure  one  single  jewel. 

Some  of  your  parents,  who  were  up  at  the  great 
London  Exhibition,  saw,  in  the  Crystal  Palace,  a  jewel 
that  was  known  by  a  peculiar  name.  Do  any  of  you 
remember  the   name  ?      The   Koh-i-noor.       Yes,   and 


SERMONS    TO    CHILDREN.  311 

its  English  name  is  '  The  Mountain  of  Light.'  Many 
a  battle  has  been  fought  for  that  jewel.  Hundreds 
of  lives  have  been  lost  in  the  struggles  to  secure  it. 

But,  dear  children,  can  you  tell  me  of  any  jewels 
far  lovelier,  and  more  precious  than  these  ?  Suppose 
this  church  were  filled  to  the  very  ceiling  with  jewels 
like  these,  yon  little  girl,  in  the  corner,  carries  some- 
thing about  with  her  that  outweighs  them  all. 

Oh  that  soul  of  yours,  that  soul !  That  thinking- 
soul,  which  will  never  cease  to  think.  Death  will 
come,  but  it  shall  not  die.  Your  soul  shall  live  as 
long  as  God.  What  will  you  give  in  exchange  for 
your  soul  ?  I  am  sure  that  God  prizes  it  '  above  the 
topaz  of  Ethiopia.'  Eor  He  gave  His  own  dear  Son 
to  save  it. 

Eemember,  your  precious  soul  is  in  danger  of  being 
lost,  as  long  as  it  remains  in  the  City  of  Destruction, 
in  which  we  all  were  born.  Many  souls  are  lost  in 
the  High  Street  of  Unbelief,  as  well  as  in  Drunkenness 
Wynd,  and  in  Sabbath-breaker's  Eow,  and  in  that  low, 
dark,  dirty  lane  called  Liar's  Lane. 

Many,  many  a  soul  perishes,  like  Lot's  wife,  half- 
way to  salvation. 

Oh,  precious  soul,  arise,  flee  !  Look  not  behind  you, 
except  it  be  to  speed  your  flight,  by  a  moment's  glance 
at  the  danger,  whose  hot  breath  is  on  your  back. 

See,  the  finger-posts  are  pointing,  '  Eefuge,  Eefuge.' 

But  it  is  not  enough  to  know  that  there  is  a  refuije 
ready  for  you.     You   are  only  safe  when   you  have 


312  JAMES   ROBERTSON. 

really  got  over  the  threshold,  and  when  you  are  really 
within  the  sheltering  walls.  God  is  thy  Eefuge, 
sinner.  All  heaven  wishes  you  would  escape  for  your 
life. 

A  Hebrew  minister  or  Rabbi  had  gone  away  on 
a  journey,  far  from  home.  It  was  long  ago,  when 
there  were  no  railways,  and  no  telegraphs.  During 
liis  absence,  his  only  children — two  sweet  girls — 
were  seized  with  that  fierce  fever,  which  makes  such 
sad  havoc  among  those  of  your  age  sometimes. 
Scarlet  fever  ran  its  course  very  rapidly,  and  they 
l)Oth  died.  Tliere  was  no  possibility  of  sending  word 
to  their  father.  But,  two  days  after,  he  returned, 
somewhat  late  in  the  evening.  His  wife  had  the 
house  all  set  in  order  for  him.  And  after  he  had 
rested  a  little,  she  began  to  tell  him  of  several  things 
that  had  happened  when  he  was  away.  '  One  thing,' 
said  she,  '  was  this.  A  friend  of  ours,  who  had  lent 
me  some  jewels,  came  to  ask  me  to  return  them.  Oh, 
I  wished  you  had  been  here  to  advise  me,  for  I  was 
very  unwilling  to  give  them  up.' 

'  My  dear,'  he  replied,  '  how  sliould  you  have  been 
at  any  loss  ?  Didn't  you  say  it  was  a  loan  ? '  With- 
out answering  a  word,  she  took  him  by  the  hand, 
and  led  him  upstairs,  into  the  room  with  the  white- 
covered  bed,  and,  in  a  burst  of  maternal  anguish, 
exclaimed,  '  These  were  our  jewels,  love.  "  The  Lord 
gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away." ' 

My  beloved  little  ones,  ye  are  your  mothers'  jewels. 


SERMONS    TO    CHILDREN.  313 

(Jh  Low  much  she  loves  you  !  She  cannot  tell  how 
much. 

Yet  even  her  watchful,  loving  eye  grows  dim  and 
closes.  Some  of  you  have  known  what  it  is  for  her 
to  take  in  her  cold,  dying  hand  yours,  and,  with  a 
heart  yet  warm,  to  say,  '  I  am  going  to  glory,  follow 
nie  there.' 

But  the  warmest  heart  among  us  is  cold  as  ice 
and  hard  as  adamant,  compared  with  His  who  died 
for  you,  and  who  says  to  all  who  trust  in  Him,  '  My 
jewels.'      '  Ye  shall  be  a  peculiar  treasure  unto  Me.' 

No  wonder  that  He  should  be  our  Treasure  !  But 
that  He  should  call  us  '  His  treasure,'  wonder,  0  ye 
heavens,  at  this  ! 

'  The  Lord's  portion  is  His  people.' 

'lad.  Converted  children  are  the  jewels  of  Jesus 
Tjccausc  they  shine.  If  I  had  found,  on  the  way  down 
from  Edinburgh  this  evening,  a  child  all  covered  with 
nnid,  and  had  brought  him  up  into  this  pulpit  with 
me,  you  would  have  looked,  and  cried,  '  What  a  sight ! ' 
But  if  the  child  had  been  carried  down  into  the  vestry 
there,  and  well  washed,  and  clothed  in  a  fine  silk 
dress,  and  then  brought  again  into  the  midst  of  us, 
and  I  were  to  ask,  '  Did  you  ever  see  that  child 
before  ? '  you  would  be  ready  to  answer,  '  Surely  no, 
but  it  is  a  lovely  one.' 

Dear  young  friends,  so  long  as  you  are  uncon- 
verted, you  are  like  the  child  when  you  saw  it  first, 
in  its  loathsomeness.     But  when  you  know  and  believe 


314  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

Christ's  love  to  you,  and  so  become  His  jewels,  you 
are  like  the  child  in  its  cleanliness  and  beauty.  He 
adorns  you  with  a  sliining  dress,  puts  ornaments  of 
grace  upon  your  head,  and  chains  about  your  neclc. 

A  few  years  ago,  there  was  a  great  nobleman  sent 
on  an  embassy  to  this  country,  from  Nepaul  in 
Hindoostan.  When  he  was  driving  in  his  splendid 
carriage  through  London,  he  saw  a  poor  black  man, 
who  was  sweeping  the  crossings  in  the  street,  and 
who  had  done  so  for  many  years.  He  stopped  his 
carriage,  beckoned  to  the  poor  Hindoo,  spoke  a  few 
words  to  him  at  the  carriage  steps,  and  the  next 
moment  the  poor  man's  besom  was  flung  in  over  the 
railing,  while  he  sprang  up  into  the  carriage,  and  sat 
beside  his  wealthy  countryman.  Next  time  he  was 
seen  out,  he  was  dressed  in  the  richest  raiment, 
glittering  with  jewels,  sitting  by  tlie  nobleman,  and 
acting  as  his  interpreter. 

This  is  something  very  like  Christ's  way  of  giving 
you  the  joy  of  pardon,  and  the  wealth  of  a  better 
world,  and  taking  you  to  interpret  His  heart  of  loAe 
to  the  strange  people  of  this  evil  world. 

Can  you  tell  me  whether  it  was  an  evil  time  that 
my  text  speaks  of  ?  Yes,  an  evil  time  it  was,  a  dark 
time,  when  sin  was  very  rife,  religion  very  low.  But 
in  the  midst  of  all  that  gloom,  the  light  of  God's 
children  was  shining.  '  Then,  they  that  feared  the 
Lord  .  .  .  thought  upon  His  name.' 

You  notice  how  converted  ones  were  known.     By 


SEEMONS    TO    CHILDREN.  315 

their  thoughts — '  They  thought  upon  God's  name.' 
By  their  feelings — '  They  feared  tlie  Lord.'  And 
by  their  conversation — '  They  spake  often  one  to 
another.'  Their  thoughts  were  shining  ones.  Their 
feelings  were  shining  ones.  Their  mouths  were  shining 
ones. 

I  repeat.  Their  thoughts  shone.  They  thought 
upon  God's  name. 

Can  there  be  any  religion  without  thinking  ?  Do 
you  expect  to  be  saved  without  thinking  ?  To  be 
sure,  many  deep  thinkers  are  not  converted  men. 
Why  ?  Because  they  don't  think  upon  the  right 
thing,  '  God's  name.' 

There  are  many  separate  syllables  in  God's  name. 
His  goodness,  for  instance.     You   see  it  written  on 

the  book  of  Nature's  beauties. 
His    greatness   .   .    .    written    on    the     illuminated 

manuscript  of  starry  skies. 
His    faithfulness  ...  in    stone    books    which    are 
now  being  dug  out  of  the  ruins  of  Babylon   and 
Nineveh. 
His  hatred  of  sin  ...  in  the  red  books  of  ghastly 
war,    and    the    black    books    of    pestilence    and 
death. 
But  where  is  it  that  all  the   different   syllables   of 
God's   name  are  gathered   into   one  ?       It   is  in   the 
gospel,  the  blessed  gospel,   and   this  is   the   pith  and 
marrow  of  it,   '  God   is  love.'      '  A  just    God,   and   a 
Saviour.'     '  God  is  love,  can  that  be  true  ? ' 


316  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

I  recollect  of  a  kind  black  servant,  who  was  travel- 
ling with  his  master's  family,  through  a  country  in- 
fested with  wolves.  Suddenly  he  saw  two  of  these 
terrible  animals  rushing  out  of  the  wood  towards 
them.  '  Massa,  Massa,'  he  cried,  '  they  will  devour 
the  dear  children.  Let  me  jump  out,  and  the  time 
they're  eating  me,  you  and  the  dear  children  will  get 
away.'  And  he  did  jump  out  before  the  hungry 
wolves,  who  instantly  seized  him,  and  tore  him  in 
pieces.  Is  not  this  a  little  picture  of  Jesus  giving 
His  life  for  our  life  ? 

'  Out  of  pity  Jesus  said, 
I'll  bear  the  punishment  instead.' 

I  bless  God  for  that  word  '  instead.'  It  was 
through  that  word  I  got  one  of  my  first  glimpses  of 
the  way  to  be  saved,  of  how  the  death  of  Jesus  so 
fully  satisfied  for  sin.  It  is  finished.  All  atoning 
work  done.  The  vail  of  the  temple  rent  in  twain, 
from  the  top  to  the  bottom — not  from  the  bottom  to 
the  top,  but  from  the  top  to  the  bottom, — because  it 
was  done  from  heaven,  by  God's  own  hand,  not 
leaving  an  inch  for  mine  to  rend. 

'  Before,  it  was  death  to  go  in.  Now,  it  is  death 
to  stay  out.' 

You  are  all  wanted  to  go  in  at  once,  and  go  up 
to  the  mercy-seat,  and  be  forgiven.  It  is  thus 
you  become  converted,  and  numbered  with  Christ's 
jewels. 


SERMONS    TO    CHILDREN.  317 

Set  down  on  your  slate  (boy)  a  thousand  ciphers. 
They  signify  notliing.  But  begin  the  line  with  a 
tigure,  and  they  all  count  something  now.  So  it  is 
only  if  you  begin  at  the  beginning  aright,  by  taking 
tlie  peace  that  is  ready  made,  taking  it  from  the 
naked  merit  of  the  true  atonement — it  is  only  when 
you  have  taken  this  coming  step,  that  anything  that 
follows  it  can  be  well-pleasing  to  C4od.  For  then 
only  ha\e  you  begun  aright  to  think  upon  God's 
name. 

Con"\'erted  ones  are  also  said  here  to  be  known  by 
their  feelings.  They  '  fear  the  Lord.'  Their  feelings 
shine,  for  all  their  feelings  are  happy,  and  all  their 
dispositions  new.  It  is  because  they  love  God  as  a 
Father,  that  they  now  fear  to  offend  Him.  He 
keeps  no  slaves  in  His  family,  no  creeping  things 
in  His  temple — just  happy  children  singing  praise. 

Besides,  converted  children  (Christ's  jewels)  are 
here  said  to  be  known  by  their  conversation.  Their 
mouths  are  shining  ones.  For  they  speak  often  one 
to  another.  They  speak  of  their  common  Father, 
their  connnon  hope,  and  their  common  home. 

I  saw  on  the  High  Street,  the  other  day,  some 
boys  whose  mouths  were  pouring  out  oaths  and 
other  abominable  words.  And  I  thought  of  what 
David  compared  such  mouths  to — '  an  open  sepulchre.' 
Such  Ijoys  have  mouths  as  black  as  the  grave.   .  .  . 

...  I  hope  the  elder  people  here  are  not  trying 
any  other  than  God's  way  of  being  saved.     Do  you 


318  JAMES   ROBERTSON. 

like  God's  way  ?  It  is  just  by  liking  it,  submitting 
to  it,  feeling  that  it  is  far  sweeter  for  you  to  have 
none  of  the  praise,  but  to  let  Jesus  have  the  whole 
— it  is  thus  alone  you  are  put  among  the  jewels  of 
Jesus. 

And  the  only  way  to  become  bright  with  the 
beauties  of  holiness  is,  to  let  in  more  of  the  love 
of  Jesus,  The  more  directly  your  face  is  turned  to 
Him,  the  more  sweetly  will  you  shine. 

?jrd  Reason  we  assigned  for  converted  children 
being  called  Christ's  jewels  is,  that  they  ctre  safely 
kept.  "When  a  cloud  of  dust  is  raised  on  the  street, 
and  your  eye  is  in  danger,  h,ow  you  put  your  hand  at 
once  over  it.  Well,  Jesus  keeps  His  jewels  '  as  the 
apple  of  His  eye.'  '  He  that  keepeth  them  will  not 
slumber.' 

Can  you  tell  me  where  the  Jewish  high  priest  of 
old  kept  the  names  of  all  the  tribes  of  Israel  ?  It 
was  on  his  breastplate.  And  in  that  breastplate 
there  were  four  rows  of  jewels  or  precious  stones — 
three  in  each  row.  There  were  the  ruby  and  the 
topaz,  the  jasper  and  the  emerald,  the  sapphire  and  the 
diamond,  the  ligure  and  the  agate,  the  beryl  and  the 
onyx,  the  carbuncle  and  the  amethyst.  These  were 
all  figurative  of  converted  souls.  And  who  is  our 
great  High  Priest — the  true  Aaron  ?  Has  He  a  breast- 
plate with  only  twelve  stones  on  it  ?  No,  all  believers, 
of  every  age,  and  from  every  land,  are  jewels  on  the 
breastplate  of  Jesus.     And  shall  all  hell  be  able  to 


SERMONS   TO    CHILDREN.  319 

pluck  one  of  them — any  of  them — out  of  His  hand 
or  from  His  heart  ? 

Did  you  ever  notice  a  poor  frightened  bird,  closely 
followed  by  a  hawk  liovering  over  her  in  the  air,  and 
on  the  very  point  of  striking  down  upon  his  prey  ? 

One  Saturday  afternoon,  when  Ealph  Erskine  was 
walking  in  the  field,  thinking  oVer  his  sermon,  such  a 
dove,  so  pursued,  flew  into  his  arms.  Did  he  tear 
the  little  trembler  roughly  from  her  shelter,  and  throw 
it  again  within  reach  of  the  talons  of  the  destroyer  ? 
No.  Even  the  mischief -loving  school-boy  will  not 
hurt  the  robin,  when,  driven  by  the  bare  hedges  to 
seek  for  food,  it  hops  in  at  the  open  door,  while  the 
wintry  wind  is  sweeping.  Even  that  little  boy  cannot 
cast  out  the  little  bird  that  trusts  him. 

And  will  He  do  less — the  large-hearted,  loving- 
hearted  Saviour  ?  Will  He  '  deliver  His  turtle-dove 
to  the  multitude  of  her  enemies  ? ' 

Oh  that  you  may  all  be  doves  in  His  bosom,  and 
jewels  on  His  breastplate.  So  shall  you  be  kept  for 
ever  safe. 

■ith  Reason  for  calling  them  the  jewels  of  Jesus  is, 
that  He  ijuts  them  through  a  process  of  iJolishing.  Do 
you  see  that  man  passing  along  the  street  with  a  stone 
in  his  hand  ?  Where  is  he  going  ?  He  says  he  is 
going  to  the  lapidary's  shop.  Come  with  me,  and  I'll 
show  you  what  he  does  with  the  stone.  The  lapidary 
puts  it  into  his  machine,  and  smooths  its  surface  by  his 
art,  and  by  and  by  you  see  beautiful  colours  coming 


320  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

out.  Just  so  are  we  to  put  our  stony  hearts  into  the 
hands  of  Jesus,  that  He  may  smooth  their  roughnesses, 
and  'mould  them  to  His  will.' 

Dear  Sabbath-school  child,  if  you  are  a  jewel  of 
Jesus,  you  need  not  weep  so  bitterly  over  your  poverty, 
over  your  trials.  When  the  prodigal  had  his  pockets 
full,  he  set  off",  but  famine  dro^'e  him  home. 

When  3'ou  lost  your  little  sister  in  the  hooping- 
cough,  when  you  saw  her  poor  body  lying  cold  and 
stiff  in  the  coffin,  when  you  heard  the  clods  fall  heavil}-, 
hollowly  on  the  coffin-lid  at  the  grave,  and  came  away 
from  it  so  sad  and  dreary,  was  not  Jesus  speaking  to 
you,  and  polishing  you  ? 

When  I  stepped  into  the  railway  carriage,  one  bright 
summer  day,  my  attention  was  taken  up  with  the 
friends  who  stood  there  to  bid  me  good-liye.  As  the 
train  moved  on,  the  mile-posts  seemed  racing  past. 
And  then,  suddenly,  hissing  like  some  vast  serpent,  it 
plunged  into  the  tunnel.  Then,  for  the  first  time,  I 
observed  the  lamp  overhead  burning.  It  had  been 
there  all  tlie  while,  yet  because  the  bright  sun  made 
it  useless,  I  noticed  it  not.  But  I  said  to  myself, 
How  truly  are  God's  most  precious  promises  like 
that  lamp  in  the  railway  ! 

We  have  them  always  with  us,  yet  we  fail  to  i)rize 
them  fully,  while  the  sun  of  prosperity  is  shining. 
But  let  our  path  lie  through  the  dark  tunnel  of  dyuig 
scenes,  how  the  blessed  gospel  beams  forth  then, 
like    the    railway    lamp,    to    cheer    us,    and    to    shed 


SERMONS    TO    CHILDREN.  321 

its    liappy    light    most     brightly    amid     the    thickest 
gloom. 

So,  many  a  ImniLle  child  of  God,  suheiing  in  her 
hovel  or  her  garret,  may,  by  her  one  talent  of  sweet 
submission,  be  gaining  ten  to  the  Saviour's  treasury. 
All  who  remember  the  Dairyman's  Daughter  will  under- 
stand what  I  mean.  She  was  a  jewel  of  the  first  water, 
and  most  sweetly  did  Jesus  smile  upon  her  steps,  as 
she  passed  through  the  '  shadow  of  death.'  Little 
did  she  know  how  far  her  light  would  shine. 

Several  years  ago,  a  Christian  friend  was  sauntering 
among  the  graves  in  a  churchyard,  in  the  Isle  of 
Wight,  when  he  saw  a  lady,  in  deep  mourning,  and 
a  little  girl,  sitting  on  a  tombstone.  The  lady  was 
reading  a  little  book  to  the  girl,  who  was  looking  up 
into  her  mother's  face,  through  her  tears.  That  lady 
was  the  Duchess  of  Kent,  and  that  girl  the  then 
I'rincess  Victoria,  now  our  beloved  Queen.  The}- 
were  sitting  on  the  grave  of  the  Dairyman's  Daughter, 
reading  together  her  touching  story. 

Another  day,  near  the  same  spot,  Legh  liichmond, 
the  honoured  author  of  the  book,  liad  occasion  to  lend 
a  telescope  to  a  stranger  visitor.  That  led  to  some 
acquaintance,  and  to  his  sending  him  a  copy  of  the 
Dairyman's  Davcjldcr.  The  stranger  turned  out  to  be 
the  Emperor  of  a  distant  nation,  through  whom  the 
book  was  translated,  and  was  the  means  of  gathering, 
both  in  his  own  family  and  elsewhere,  much  fruit  to 
God.      Verily  the  Church  is  the  jewel   in   tlie   ring  of 

X 


322  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

tlie  world's  history,  and  all  her  aftlictioiis  are  from  the 
liand  of  the  Polisher. 

The  Koh-i-noor  diamond,  when  it  came  into  the 
Queen's  possession,  was  a  misshapen  lump.  It  was 
very  desirable  to  get  its  corners  cut  off,  and  all  its 
sides  reduced  to  squares,  but  no  unskilful  hand  was 
permitted  to  touch  it.  Men  of  science  were  called  to 
consider  the  form  of  its  crystals,  the  direction  of  its 
grain,  and  the  side  on  which  it  would  be  most 
pressable.  By  their  instructions,  the  jewel  was  placed 
in  the  hands  of  an  experienced  lapidary,  and  by  long, 
patient,  careful  labour  its  sides  were  ground  down 
to  the  desired  proportions. 

The  gem  was  hard,  and  needed  a  heavy  pressure. 
The  gem  was  precious,  and  every  precaution  was 
taken,  which  science  and  skill  could  suggest,  to  get 
it  polished  into  shape,  without  cracking  in  the 
process. 

Well,  the  effort  was  successful.  The  hard  diamond 
was  rubbed  down  into  forms  of  beauty,  and  yet  sus- 
tained no  damage  by  the  process  of  the  lapidary  to 
which  it  was  subjected. 

Jewels,  bright  jewels,  in  the  form  of  little  children, 
are  the  heritage  which  God  gives  to  every  parent. 

They  are  unshapely,  and  need  to  be  polished. 

They  are  hard,  and  cannot  be  reduced  to  symmetry 
without  firm  handling. 

They  are  brittle,  and  so  liable  to  be  permanently 
damaged  by  the  pressure. 


SERMONS   TO    CHILDREN.  323 

But  they  are  stones  of  peculiar  preciousness,  and  if 
they  were  successfully  polished,  they  would  shine  as 
the  stars  for  ever  and  ever,  giving  off  brilliantly  the 
glory  they  get  from  the  Sun  of  liighteousness. 

Do  you  possess  these  diamonds  in  the  rough  ?  Oh, 
strike  them  not  unskilfully  ;  nor  let  them  lie  uncut. 

Should  not  your  richest  treasure  be  your  chief  care  ? 

bth  and  finallij.  Converted  children  are  the  jewels 
of  Jesus,  because  they  are  imperisluible  ones,  and  are 
(joing  to  he  set  for  ever  in  an  imperishable  crown. 

A  lady  was  dressing  one  evening  for  a  fine  party. 
She  had  all  her  jewels  on.  But,  sad  to  tell,  her 
sleeves  caught  fire  at  the  gas.  She  ran  about  the 
room  screaming  for  help.  The  flames  spread  to  the 
curtains.  The  whole  house  was  soon  in  flames,  and  it 
was  burned  to  the  ground.  When  the  labourers  came 
to  clear  away  the  rubbish,  what  do  you  think  they 
found  of  the  lady  ?  Nothing  but  a  handful  of  black 
dust.  Yet,  there  lay  her  jewels  unhurt,  though  the 
yold  and  silver  which  had  been  round  them  had 
melted. 

Well,  the  fire  that  will  melt  this  eartli,  and  turn 
that  sea  to  vapour,  will  not  consume  any  of  the  jewels 
of  Jesus.  They  will  stand  even  the  searching  fire 
of  that  dreadful  day.  '  They  shall  triumph,  when 
the  world  is  in  a  blaze.' 

'  They  shall  be  Mine,'  says  He.  I  will  own 
them  as  Mine.  I  will  show  them  to  be  Mine.  I 
will  come  to  be  glorified  in  My  saints. 


324  JAMES    ROBERTSOX. 

These  are  they  '  vvlioni  the  King  delighteth  to 
honour,' 

They  shall  behold  His  glory,  and  share  His  glor}', 
and  add  to  His  glory. 

Sir  Isaac  Newton,  with  his  telescope,  looked  among 
the  stars  ;  but  how  surprised  he  would  have  been, 
had  he  some  night  descried  through  to  the  pearly 
gate  of  heaven  !  Why,  in  the  pulpit  with  me  here, 
I've  got  a  telescope,  of  God's  own  making,  through 
which  you  can  see  heaven's  golden  streets,  and 
heaven's  throne  of  glory,  and  the  Lamb  in  the  midst 
of  the  throne,  and  the  rainbow  round  about  the  throne. 
Yes,  we  see,  through  this'  glass,  some  of  the  very 
jewels  already  sparkling  in  the  crown  of  Jesus, 
What  a  lovely  jewel  is  Joseph  there  ' 

And  that  great  favourite  of  our  childhood.  He 
who,  when  a  boy,  had  a  little  coat,  with  long  sleeves, 
made  l)y  his  mother,  for  his  New  Year's  day  gift — 
the  boy  wlio  was  not  afraid  to  be  left  alone  in  the 
dark  at  night,  who  went  away  at  once  when  bidden, 
and  lay  down  by  himself  to  converse  with  God.  AYlio 
was  he  ?     Yes,  Samuel. 

And  yonder  is  the  dear  cliild  who  liad  a  bad  father, 
and  all  bad  around  him,  yet  '  in  him  there  was  found 
some  good  thing.'  Religion  had  its  home  in  his 
heart,  and  it  loved  its  home.      What  was    his    name  ? 


n. 

And  who  is  yon,  shining  as   the   brightness  of   the 
firmament — a    man    who,    while    here,    outshone    all 


SERMONS    TO    CHILDREN.  325 

utbers  in    the    grace  of    meekness  ?      His    name    is  ? 
Moses. 

It  reminds  me  of  a  dear  meek  lamb  of  Jesus,  who 
died  about  eight  years  old.  His  body  was  stretched 
out  in  a  darkened  back  room,  waiting  to  be  laid 
away  next  Monday  in  the  dust.  His  heart-broken 
motlier  and  his  little  sister  had  stepped  in,  to  take 
another  look  of  the  face  that  was  dead.  As  they 
stood  gazing,  the  little  girl  asked  to  take  his  hand. 
At  first  the  mother  did  not  think  it  best,  but  when 
tlie  child  repeated  the  wish  earnestly,  she  lifted  the 
chill,  bloodless  hand,  and  placed  it  in  his  sobbing 
sister's.  The  affectionate  girl  pressed  it  fondly,  and 
then  looking  up  at  her  mother,  through  gushing  tears, 
she  said,  '  Mother,  that  dear  hand  never  struck  me.' 
My  boys,  are  you  always  so  meek  and  gentle,  that,  if 
you  were  to  die  this  week,  your  sister  could  take  your 
hand,  and  say,  '  This  dear  hand  never  struck  me '  ? 

'  He  sees  how  children  dwell  in  love, 
And  marks  them  for  His  own.' 

Tommy  stopped  his  motlier  when  she  was  teaching 
him  that,  and  said,  '  Is  God  willing  to  mark  a  little 
boy  like  me  ?  I  suppose  the  Ijiggest  mark  will  be 
loving  Jesus  for  His  so  loving  us.'  And  then  he 
added,  '  Happy,  happy  Tommy,  if  God  will  mark  me 
for  His  own.' 

Beloved  children,  Is  not  a  place  in  Christ's  crown 
worth  seeking  ?      '  They  that  seek  Me  early  shall  find 


326  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

Me.'  That's  your  promise.  The  okler  folks  here  have 
other  promises,  but  they  have  not  that  promise — that's 
all  your  own.  Cling  to  it  then.  Seek  Jesus,  Oh, 
seek  Him,  and  you  shall  find  Him  early. 

Did  you  never  detect  in  yourselves  (my  older 
friends)  a  lingering  feeling  of  distrust,  when  reading 
the  accounts  of  the  conversion  of  very  young  persons 
— say  of  children  under  ten  or  twelve  years  of  age  ? 
That  was  often  the  case  with  me,  Eecent  circum- 
stances, however,  under  my  own  observation  have 
produced  a  great  change  in  my  views  of  this  sub- 
ject. I  believe  that  children  may  become  intelligent 
Christians,  Christ's  jewels,  at  a  much  earlier  age  than 
is  generally  supposed.  The  longer  1  preach  I  feel 
more  that  conversion  is  the  main  thing,  and  that 
youth  is  the  converting  time.  I  believe  that  far 
more  direct  and  specific  efforts  for  their  early  con- 
version ought  to  be  used  by  ministers,  parents,  and 
Sabbath-school  teachers.  Oh,  aim  at  it,  and  expect  it. 
The  key  to  their  hearts  is  the  knowledge  of  the  heart 
of  God. 

Pray  much — very  much — that  that  key  may  be 
applied,  and  their  hearts  opened.  Pray  for  child  by 
child  in  your  class,  each  child  by  name,  and  let  this 
be  your  cry,  '  Holy  Spirit,  put  them  among  the  jewels 
of  Jesus,  Wilt  Thou  not  do  it  this  week  ?  Wilt 
thou  not  do  it  now  ? ' 

If  you  came  up  to  Edinburgh  to-morrow  evening, 
and  heard   the  bells   ringing  out   a  merry  peal  from 


SERMONS    TO    CHILDREN.  327 

every  steeple,  and  the  cannon  from  the  Castle  roaring 
out  their  harsh  joy,  and  the  streets  all  blazing  with 
illumination,  wouldn't  you  say,  '  It  can't  be  a  trifle 
over  which  they  are  all  rejoicing.  Some  great  thing- 
must  have  occurred.' 

Well,  come  up  with  me  in,  through,  to  the  heavenly 
city.  Lo,  they  are  all  keeping  jubilee.  Must  it  not 
be  some  great  thing  that  has  filled  all  heaven  with 
fresh  joy  ?  The  conversion  of  a  single  soul  does  it. 
Any  soul — the  soul  of  a  pauper  in  the  poorhouse, 
or  the  soul  of  that  pauper's  child. 

How  the  angels,  that  are  hovering  over  us,  would 
fly  back  to  heaven  more  angelic  than  they  came, 
could  they  carry  the  tidings  that  you,  Thomas,  William, 
llobert,  Eliza,  Jane,  Mary,  had  this  evening  been  put 
among  Christ's  jewels,  and  are  going  to  be  set  as 
jewels  in  His  crown  eternally  ! 

Oh  that  God  may  send  to  all  your  schools  sucli 
revival  as  angels  like  to  see — the  breaking  of  hard 
hearts,  and  the  healing  of  broken  ones ;  the  weeping 
of  convinced  sinners,  and  the  joy  of  converted  sinners  ; 
the  fleeing  of  souls  from  hell,  and  the  flocking  of  souls 
to  heaven  ! 

Oh  that  a  more  powerful  voice  than  ours  may  reach 
them,  and  a  more  powerful  arm  than  ours  bring  them 
to  Jesus ! 

Even  that  voice  of  the  Lord  which  is  full  of 
majesty,  that  arm  of  the  Lord  which  is  omnipotent 
to  save. 


328  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

Blessed  Spirit,  do  Thine  own  work.     Decide  Thou 
these  children's  choice.      Draw  each  heart  to  cry — - 

'  Gentle  Jesus,  meek  and  mil  J, 
Look  upon  a  little  child  ; 
Pity  my  simplicity  ; 
Suffer  me  to  come  to  Tliee. 

Fain  I  would  to  Thee  be  brought ; 
Gracious  Lord,  forljid  it  not. 
'Mong  the  jewels  of  Thy  grace, 
Give  a  little  child  a  place.' 


Croinns. 

Will  yon  read  with  me,  or  read  for  me,  two  little 
Bible  verses  ?  AVonld  some  boy  read  the  one,  and 
some  girl  the  other  ?  They  are  both  written  by  the 
same  John,  about  the  same  Jesus.  The  first  you  w^ll 
find  in  the  Gospel  of  John,  xix.  2.  What  boy  has 
found  it  ?     Eead  the  whole  verse. 

'  And  the  soldiers  platted  a  crown  of  thorns,  and 
put  it  on  His  head,  and  they  put  on  Him  a  purple 
robe.' 

The  second  of  the  two  passages  you  will  find  in 
John's  Book  of  Ptevelation,  xix.  12.  AVill  some  girl 
be  so  kind  as  read  the  middle  clause  ? 

'  And  on  His  head  were  many  crowns.' 

Now,  put  them  together — His  '  crown  of  thorns ' 
and  '  His  many  crowns ' — 

His  '  crown  of  thorns  ' — on  eartli. 

His  '  many  crowns  ' — in  lieaven. 


SERMONS   TO   CHILDREN.  329 

On  this  hand,  would  you  carry  away  the  thought  of 
the  first,  and  on  that  hand  the  thought  of  the  second  ? 
I.  The  '  crow^n  of  thorns ' — worn  on  earth. 

1.  What  cruelty  it  was,  this  putting  on  His  head 
a  crown  of  thorns  !  For  the  thorny  spikes  went  deep 
and  sharp.  If  they  had  meant  merely  to  mock  Him, 
they  would  have  made  Him  a  crown  of  straw ;  but 
as  they  wished  to  give  Him  as  much  pain  as  possible, 
therefore  they  fashioned  a  '  crown  of  thorns.'  Matthew 
(xxvii.  30)  and  Mark  (xv.  19)  tell  us  that  one 
'  smote  Him  on  the  head  with  a  reed.' — Yes,  on  the 
head — and  I  have  no  doubt  they  did  it  on  purpose — 
driving  deep  the  sharp  points  of  the  thorns  into  His 
temples  and  on  His  brow.  Immediately  we  see  the 
heavenly  suffering  face  of  Jesus  bathed  in  blood. 
Yet  did  He  utter  a  single  angry  word  ?  Xo.  He  was 
silent  as  a  lamb  !  For  He  knew  our  sin  deserved 
it  all. 

2.  What  contempt  and  what  insult  there  was  in 
their  thus  putting  on  His  head  this  '  crown  of  thorns '  ! 
He  had  said  He  was  a  king.  So,  to  make  sport  of 
Him,  they  dressed  Him  in  a  purple  robe — like  that 
which  kings  used  to  wear,  and  put  into  His  hand  a 
reed  for  a  sceptre — such  as  kings  used  to  hold,  and 
then,  as  your  hymn  says — 

'  With  mocking  scorn 
And  crown  of  thorn, 
They  bore  Him  to  Calvarj-  ! ' 

3.  In    spite    of    all    the    cruelty    and    of    all    the 


330  JAMES   EOBERTSON. 

contempt,  what  comfort  it  is  to  you  and  to  me,  the 
sight  of  the  thorny  crown  !  For  I  see  in  it  a  striking 
picture  of  the  way  in  wliich  sinners  are  saved. 

How  came  thorns  to  be  in  the  world  at  all  ? 

You  hear  the  answer  in  what  God  said  to  Adam, 
after  he  had  sinned  (Gen.  iii.  17),  'Cursed  is  the 
ground  for  thy  sake  ; '  ver.  18, '  thorns  also  and  thistles 
shall  it  bring  forth  to  thee.'  Ever  since,  thorns  have 
been  growing  on  the  earth,  as  the  token  of  sin's  curse. 
So  when  the  soldiers  wreathed  these  thorns,  they  were 
just  crowning  Jesus  with  the  symbol  of  the  curse. 
Though  they  did  not  mean  it,  they  were  really  setting 
forth  in  figure  the  grand  truth  (Gal.  iii.  13),  'Christ 
hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being 
made  a  curse  for  us.' 

In  John  (xix.  5)  we  read  that  '  Jesus  came  forth, 
wearing  the  crown  of  thorns.'  '  He  came  forth,'  as 
one  not  ashamed  of  His  sufferings  for  our  sakes. 
No — but  glorying  in  them.  So  He  brought  up  with 
Him  from  the  grave,  the  print  of  the  nails — the 
marks  of  the  same  cruel  death ;  ay,  and  He  carried 
them  with  Him  to  heaven ;  for  He  appears  as  the 
'  Lamb  slain,'  yonder,  '  in  the  midst  of  the  throne.' 

It  is  a  remarkable  circumstance  in  the  last  days 
of  the  late  Chancellor  of  England — Lord  Lyndhurst 
— that,  after  he  was  00  years  of  age,  he  learned  to 
know  and  love  Jesus,  and  this  was  what  he  said : 
'  I  used  all  my  days  to  wonder  what  good  people 
meant  when  they  talked  of  "  the  blood."     But  I  under- 


SERMONS    TO    CHILDREN.  331 

stand  it  all  now.  It  is  just  substitution — Christ's 
life  for  our  life — Christ's  death  instead  of  our  death.' 
And  when  he  was  asked,  very  near  his  end,  '  Are  you 
happy  ? '  his  answer  was,  '  Supremely  happy — resting 
upon  that!  It  was  a  soft  pillow  for  his  dying  head — 
thinking  of  the  head  that  for  him  was  '  crowned  with 
thorns.' 

I  have  heard  of  a  minister,  whose  congregation  had 
been  long  left  cold  and  dead,  because  there  had  been 
so  little  about  that  in  his  preaching !  One  Sabbath 
morning  when  he  came  into  his  pulpit,  he  found,  on 
the  cushion,  a  slip  of  paper  with  these  words  written 
on  it,  '  Sir,  we  would  see  Jesus.'  His  heart  smote 
him,  he  was  led  to  much  thought  and  prayer,  and 
from  that  time  the  name  of  Jesus  was  poured  forth 
as  ointment  among  that  people,  and  many  of  them 
began  to  say,  'Lord  Jesus,  I  take  Thee  to  be  my 
Substitute  !  Thou  art  mine  !  It  is  just  as  if  vje  had 
been  crucified,  as  if  vje  had  died  already ! ' 

'  Precious  name  !  oh  how  sweet ! 
ope  of  earth,  and  joy  of  heaven  ! ' 

How  often  do  you  think  that  '  Name '  occurs  in 
the  New  Testament  ?  Find  out  for  yourselves.  Jolm, 
who  lay  on  His  breast,  uses  it  about  twice  as  often 
as  Matthew !  Ah !  it  is  those  who  know  Jesus  best 
and  love  Him  most  who  are  the  last  to  weary  of 
hearing  about  Christ  and  His  crown  of  thorns  ! 

I  saw  in  a  hedge,   all    bristling  with   thorns,  the 


332  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

pretty  nest  of  a  little  bird.  Why  did  the  bird  build 
its  nest  there  ?  Why  ?  Because  the  thorns  were  a 
protection  to  it  from  harm.  Well,  I  thought  I  would 
bid  you  nestle  among  the  thorns  of  Jesus,  for  there 
is  no  resting-place  so  safe  for  timid,  trembling  souls. 
When  you  have  said,  '  Lord  Jesus,  I  accept  Tliee  as 
my  Substitute — as  having  paid  it  all  for  me' — then 
come,  and  crown  His  blessed  head  with  other  crowns. 

Hark !  from  among  these  thorns,  I  hear  a  solemn 
warning  !  What  is  it  ?  A  warning  against  our  ever 
committing  the  same  sin  that  these  soldiers  did,  when 
they  wove  the  crown  of  thorns.  '  The  same,'  say 
you,  '  why,  never  would  I  weave  such  a  crown  for  that 
dear  head  ! '  Ah  !  my  dear  young  friends,  all  who  do 
not  put  their  hand  into  Jesus'  hand,  and  say  '  Yes ' 
to  Him  just  now,  are  really  gathering  thorns,  and 
twisting  them  around  His  brow ! 

There  was  a  little  bit  of  poetry  we  used  to  repeat 
in  our  school-days,  '  The  death  of  Gellert.'  Do  you 
know  it  ?  When  his  master  was  out  of  the  house, 
a  wolf  attacked  the  cradle  where  his  master's  child 
was  sleeping.  The  faithful  dog  destroyed  the  wolf, 
saved  the  child,  and  lay  down  beside  the  cradle. 
When  the  Welsh  chieftain  entered,  and  saw  the  blood 
lying  round  the  cradle,  in  hot  haste  he  killed  the 
dog  !  and  when  he  came  to  know  the  wrong  that  he 
had  done — slain  the  dog  that  had  saved  his  child  ! — 
he  went  out  and  wept  right  bitterly.  And  this  was 
only  for  a  dog !     But  it  is  the  Christ  of  God  whom 


SERMONS    TO    CHILDEEX.  333 

we  have  murdered  by  our  sin.  They  say  that  exery 
time  Peter  heard  the  cock  crow,  he  wept  bitterly,  as 
cue  well  accustomed  to  weep ;  and  when  the  ribald 
world  still  clamours,  '  Crucify  Him,  crucify  Him,'  will 
not  i/oitr  voices  be  louder  still,  '  Crown  Him,  crown 
Him,  Lord  of  all.' 

II.  His  '  many  crowns '  in  heaven.  '  On  His  head 
were  many  crowns'  (Rev.  xix.  12).  Crowns  of  two 
sorts.      Crowns  of  power  and  crowns  of  praise. 

1.  Crowns  of  Power,  for  Jesus  is  a  King,  and  as 
such  He  wears — 

(1)  The  Crown  of  creation.  'All  things  were  made 
by  Him,  and  for  Him.'  There's  not  a  pebble  on  the 
seashore,  there's  not  a  dew-drop  trembling  on  a  rose 
leaf,  but  is  the  workmanship  of  Jesus  !  Who  is  this, 
who  comes  walking  on  the  waters  ?  Who  is  He 
who  is  standing  up  in  yon  boat,  and  saying  to  the 
storm,  '  Peace,  be  still ! ' — and  it  crouched  at  His  feet  ? 
Lo  !  it  is  Jesus  !  '  Jesus  only,'  who  over  all  nature 
sways  His  sceptre,  and  wears  His  crown  ! 

(2)  The  Croiun  of  providence  is  on  His  head.  Yes 
— for  '  He  upholds  all  things  by  the  word  of  His 
power.' 

I  remember  when  I  was  first  taken  to  see  a  large 
piece  of  machinery,  like  one  of  your  mills  at  the 
'  East  End '  —  wheels  after  wheels  —  wheels  within 
wheels ;  they  all  seemed  tangled  and  twisted ;  all 
working  at  cross  purposes.  Often  have  I  thought  of 
it  since,  how  closely  it  resembles  the  pictures  of  God's 


334  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

providence  in  Ezekiel  (chaps,  i.  and  x.),  where  we  are 
told  that  over  the  wheels  was  there  '  the  likeness  of 
a  man,'  who  is  just  our  own  Jesus,  on  whose  head  is 
the  crown  of  providence. 

During  the  persecution  which  raged  in  France,  in 
the  year  of  the  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew,  when 
so  many  Protestants  were  killed,  a  good  minister  hid 
himself  in  a  hay-loft,  and  would  most  certainly  have 
been  starved  to  death,  if  there  had  not  come,  every 
morning,  a  hen  into  the  place  where  he  was,  and  laid 
the  egg  which  preserved  his  life. 

What  is  the  price  of  a  sparrow  ?  How  many 
would  you  get  for  a  farthing  ?  Two.  Ask  the  woman 
for  two  farthings'  worth,  and  how  many  would  she 
give  you  ?  Five.  Yes,  they  are  such  tiny  little 
things,  she  throws  one  into  the  bargain !  Yet  not 
one  of  them  is  forgotten  by  Jesus !  or  falls  to  the 
ground  without  our  Father  ! 

Have  you  ever  been  in  London  ?  If  you  have, 
perhaps  you  have  seen  already,  or  if  not,  remember  to 
look,  the  first  time  you  go,  at  the  top  of  the  spire  of  the 
London  Exchange,  and  you  will  see  a  curious  weather- 
cock, in  the  shape  of  a  monster  grasshopper !  How 
did  it  come  to  be  there  ?  About  350  years  ago,  a 
woman  with  a  little  baby  in  her  arms  was  trudging 
along  a  little  English  country  lane.  I  am  sorry  to 
say  it,  but  the  mother  had  forgot  to  love  her  child, 
and  wanted  to  get  quit  of  the  trouble  of  bringing  it 
up.     So,  after  looking  this  way  and  that  way,  to  see 


SERMONS    TO    CHILDREN.  335 

that  nobody  was  watching  her,  she  climbed  over  a  gate 
into  a  field,  and,  wrapping  the  baby-boy  in  her  tattered 
shawl,  she  laid  it  down  among  the  grass,  and  left  it 
there. 

By  and  bye,  down  the  lane  came  a  schoolboy, 
whistling  aloud  on  his  wav  home.  Just  as  he  reached 
the  gate,  over  which  the  woman  had  climbed,  he 
heard  the  chirp,  chirp,  chirp  of  a  grasshopper,  and 
over  the  gate  he  jumped  to  catch  it.  And  he  had  not 
gone  far  till,  among  the  grass,  he  found  the  baby  fast 
asleep.  Up  he  took  the  little  fellow,  and  carried  it 
in  his  arms  to  a  farmhouse,  where  the  farmer's  kind 
wife  took  care  of  the  little  orphan,  till  he  grew  up  to 
be  a  young  man.  Then  he  went  into  a  situation  in 
London,  and  by  his  good  conduct  rose  to  be  one  of 
the  richest  merchants  in  the  City,  Queen  Elizabeth 
often  sent  for  him  to  dine  with  her,  and  then  she 
made  him  a  knight  —  with  the  title  '  Sir  Thomas 
Gresham,'  So  he  built  the  lioyal  Exchange,  and 
placed  this  monster  grasshopper  on  the  topmost 
pinnacle,  and  it  is  still  there  to  tell  you  and  me  that, 
as  in  the  case  of  Ishmael,  '  God  heard  the  voice  of 
the  lad.' 

Jesus,  the  Lord  of  Providence,  can  save  a  valuable 
life  by  means  of  a  very  little  thing.  He  hangs  heavy 
weights  on  very  small  wires,  and  if  you  and  I  know 
Him,  as  our  own  Saviour,  we  may  well  leave  our 
burden  at  His  feet,  and  take  a  song  away. 

Good  Martin  Luther  used  to  say,  when  the  Reforma- 


336  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

tiun  was  being  wrought  by  storms,  that  a  little  bird 
sang  good  clieer  to  him  as  it  hopped  to  and  fro  in  its 
cage.  Nobody  could  say  what  it  was  singing,  but 
Luther  declared  that  the  little  bird  always  sang  to 
him  this  little  ditty — 

'  LutluT,  Luther,  cease  your  sorrow, 
God  providetli  tor  tlie  uiorrow. ' 

Dear  children,  the  moment  you  come  to  Jesus, 
there  is  real  rest  for  you,  and  in  the  cage  of  your 
heart  there  sings  a  merry  little  bird  whose  note  is — • 

'  Cease  your  sorrow,  cease  your  sorrow, 
God  provideth  for  the  morrow.' 

But  those  two  crowns  of  creation  and  providence 
are  both  for  the  sake  of 

(3)  The  Croicn  of  grace.     As  the  bynni  runs — 

'  Of  all  the  crowns  that  Jesus  wears. 
Salvation  is  His  dearest  claim.' 

Suppose  you  ha^^e  a  watch,  and  it  won't  go.  You 
take  it  to  the  watchmaker,  and  he  says,  '  I  do  not 
wonder  that  it  does  not  go,  for  the  mainspring  is 
broken.'  Well,  unless  you  get  into  your  heart  that 
mainspring,  the  love  of  Christ,  your  life  will  never  go 
right. 

It  is  the  happiest  thing  on  eartli  to  believe  His  love 
to  you — to  know  that  as  King  of  grace.  He  has  put 
3'our  sins  quite  away. 

It  is  an  out  and  out  forgiveness,  and  it  comes  all  at 
once,  quicker  than  the  telegraph  !  quicker  than  thought ! 


SERMONS    TO    CHILDREN.  337 

The  King  of  grace  does  tilings  so  grandly  !  Xo  one 
except  the  king  or  the  queen  sitting  on  the  throne, 
can  grant  a  pardon  to  a  man  condemned  to  die. 

Did  you  ever  see  a  copy  of  such  a  pardon  ? 

It  says  that  it  pardons  and  puts  away  all  the  bad 
things  the  man  has  done  '  sic  like,'  as  if  that  bad 
thing  had  never  been  done  at  all. 

That  is  like  the  way  Jesus  forgives.  Your  punish- 
ment has  passed  to  Him,  and  His  righteousness  passes 
to  you.  His  love  closes  round  you,  and  you  are  His 
perfectly  pardoned,  happy  child.  You  may  go  as 
near  to  Him  and  feel  as  one  with  Him  as  you  like. 
You   cannot   go   near  enough — you   cannot    feel  one 

enough  ! 

'  Oh,  to  grace,  how  great  a  debtor  ! ' 

When  Buonaparte  was  in  his  prison  in  St.  Helena, 
he  uttered  this  memorable  sentence,  '  I  founded  my 
empire  on  the  sword,  and  it  is  gone.  Jesus  Christ 
established  His  kingdom  in  love,  and  it  will  last  for  ever!' 

Little  Mary's  mother  was  showing  her  a  picture 
of  Jesus,  with  children  in  His  arms  and  crowding 
round  Him,  and  some  of  the  mothers  were  rebuked 
for  pushing  forward  their  boys  and  girls  to  go  U\ 
Jesus.  '  That's  what  /  would  have  done,  Mary,  if  I 
had  been  there,'  said  her  mother.  '  I  would  ha\'e 
pushed  you  to  Him.' 

What  do  you  think  ]\Iary's  answer  was  ?  '  Mother, 
I  should  not  want  to  be  pushed.  I  would  have  gone 
to  Jesus  without  pushing.' 

y 


338  JAMES   ROBERTSON". 

My  clear  children,  will  you  go  to  Jesus  without 
pushing?  Will  you  go  now?  You  may.  What 
magnet  will  draw  you,  if  not  that  ? 

One  afternoon,  the  Queen  w-ent  into  the  cottage 
of  a  poor  old  woman  in  the  Highlands,  and  the  old 
woman  had  not  the  least  idea  who  she  was,  but  some- 
how or  other  she  found  it  out,  just  as  the  Queen  was 
leaving.  After  she  was  gone,  she  took  the  chair  on 
which  the  Queen  had  been  sitting,  and  put  it  away  in 
a  place  by  itself,  saying,  '  Did  she  sit  so  graciously 
beside  me  on  that  chair  ?  Nobody  else  shall  ever 
sit  on  it.'  I  think  it  would  be  something  like 
that  with  you,  if  you  only  let  Jesus  into  your 
heart.  You  would  say,  '  My  heart  belongs  to  Him 
alone.  No  one  else  shall  ever  have  that  place. 
Take  my  heart  just  as  it  is.  Set  up  there  Thy 
throne,  so  shall  I  love  Thee  above  all,  and  live  only 
for  Thee  ! ' 

All  Christ's  crowns  of  grace  are  crowns  of  victory. 
Victory  over  Satan — as  in  yon  terrible  grapple  with 
him  in  the  wilderness,  when  Jesus  cut  away  the 
Tempter's  flimsy  lies  with  one  sweep  of  His  sword, 
'  It  is  written,  it  is  written.'  And  I  read  in  Eevelation 
xix.  16,  that  Jesus  'has  on  His  thigh  a  name 
written.  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords.'  When 
Jesus  died,  Satan  shouted,  '  I  think  I  have  Him  now ! ' 
Ah  !  he  cries  '  Victory  '  too  soon  !  Jesus,  in  dying,  set 
His  foot  upon  the  head  of  the  Old  Serpent,  and  when 
He  bowed   His  head  and  gave  up  the  ghost,  it  was 


SERMONS    TO    CHILDREN.  330 

just  that  His  head  might  wear  crowns  of  victory 
over  tlie  Destroyer, 

Victory  over  death  too.  Jesus  died  that  He  might 
take  the  deadly  sting  out  of  death  to  all  who  love 
Him.  One  of  iny  scliool  companions,  who  was  stricken 
down  when  young,  had  no  fear  of  death,  for  Jesus  had 
taken  the  sting  away.  The  last  thing  he  said  to  his 
mother  was — and  as  if  he  had  been  one  of  Bunyan's 
Pilgrims  passing  through  the  dark  river,  and  looking 
back  to  those  he  had  left  on  the  shore — '  I  find 
Jordan  to  be  but  an  ordinary  stream.' 

When  I  was  at  school,  I  saw  a  canary  in  a  cage, 
and  it  was  very  happy  picking  its  food,  and  sipping 
out  of  its  little  cup,  and  singing  its  songs.  But  one 
day  the  cage  was  lying  all  broken  on  the  floor,  and 
the  bird  was  not  there  !  Where  was  it  ?  It  had 
fled  away  (so  they  told  me)  to  a  warmer  climate, 
where  it  was  still  singing — singing  under  sunnier 
skies.  So  is  it  with  those  who  trusted  in  Jesus, 
and  have  been  taken  away  by  death.  It  is  only  the 
cage  which  was  broken  and  buried,  but  the  spirit 
which  used  to  speak  to  you  and  love  you  and  be 
happy  with  you  was  never  touched. 

Never  !  Death  is  the  gate  of  life — not  life  im- 
prisoned, but  life  set  free — life  exulting  in  the  fulness 
of  Christ's  joy ! 

The  second  class  of  His  '  many  crowns '  which  we 
liave  named  is — 

2.   Crowns  of  Praise.     The  praises  of  sinners  saved 


340  JAMES   ROBERTSON. 

One  very  bright   and  sparkling  company  which  we 

may  see  flying  upward  with  their   crowns  of  praises 

are — 

'  Babes  tliitlier  caught  from  mother's  breast, 
Who  claim  to  sing  above  the  rest, 
Because  tliey've  reached  the  happy  sliore, 
Tliey  neither  saw  nor  sought  before.' 

Weeping  Eachels !  Your  family  harp  may  liave 
lost  its  sweetest  string,  but  there's  one  harp  in 
heaven  the  more !  If  you  only  saw  what  a  beautiful 
cherub  your  child  has  become,  would  you  shed  another 
tear  ? 

How  came  ye  there,  ye  blessed  little  ones  ?  They 
all  answer,  '  Our  robes  were'  washed  and  made  white.' 
How  ?  In  your  own  innocence  ?  No.  In  the  water 
of  your  baptism  ?  No.  '  They  were  washed  and 
made  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.'  Blessed 
ones  !  Stay  where  you  are.  We  would  not  ask  you 
back.      You  would  not  come.     We  will  go  to  you. 

I  love  to  think  of  heaven  as  njade  up  so  largely 
of  little  children !  And  the  praises  of  heaven  are 
such  as  children  here  may  long  to  sing — 

'  I  wouhl  be  like  an  angel,  and  with  the  angels  stand, 
A  crown  upon  my  forehead,  and  a  harp  within  my  hand  ; 
Then  right  before  my  Saviour,  so  glorious  and  so  bright, 
I'd  wake  the  sweetest  music,  and  praise  Him  day  and  night.' 

The  old  painters  have  given  us  pictures  of  Jesus 
with  a  halo  round  His  head. 

We  want  you  to  crown  the  King  in  another  way. 
We  want  you  to  weave  your  best  affections  into  gar- 


SERMONS    TO    CHILDEEN.  341 

lands  of  tlianksgiving,  that  they  may  glitter  for  ever 
round  that  blessed  brow.  Why  shouldn't  you  all  be 
the  children  of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus  ? 

I  heard  a  boy  say,  '  But  I  don't  know  what  faith 
is.'  I  answered,  'Yes — but  you  do  know.  For  if 
you  saw  one  of  your  schoolmates  coming  along  the 
street,  and  you  cried  to  him,  "  George,  where  are  you 
troins  ? "  "  Where  ?  To  Uncle  John's.  He  said  he 
would  give  me  a  shilling  if  I  came  to  him  just  now." 
"  Did  he  promise  you  a  shilling  ?  and  do  you  expect 
to  get  it  ?  "  "  Yes,  I  do  expect  to  get  it — for  Uncle 
John  is  alvjays  as  good  as  his  icord!'  '  Now,  that  is 
faith,  taking  Uncle  John  at  his  word ;  and  Bible  faith 
is  taking  Jesus  at  His  word. 

'  Jesus,  our  everlasting  King, 
Accept  the  tribute  which  we  bring, 
Accept  Th}^  dearly-bought  renown, 
And  wear  our  praises  as  Thy  crown.' 

This  may  be  His  coronation-day,  if  it  be  the  day 
of  your  coming  to  Him,  if  it  be  the  day  when  you 
bring  some  one  to  Him,  as  Andrew  did  to  Peter  when 
he  took  him  by  the  arm,  and  '  brought  him  to  Jesus.' 

Paul,  when  speaking  of  those  whom  he  had 
brought,  says,  '  What  is  our  liope,  and  joy,  and  crown 
of  rejoicing  ?     Are  not  even  ye  ? ' 

Beautiful  upward  steps  these — hyjic — joy — crov:n. 

Your  parents  and  teachers  bringing  you  to  Jesus — 
that  is  our  '  hope' 

When  we  see  you  at  peace  with  God— that  is  our  '  joij! 


342  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

When  we  behold  you,  by  and  bye,  in  your  white 
robes,  spotless,  in  the  image  of  Jesus,  '  when  Jesus 
comes' — that  will  be  our  croivn — our  'crown  of 
rejoicing.' 

Would  you  like  to  put  a  crown  upon  the  head  of 
Jesus,  when  He  comes  ?  Well,  if  you  come  to  Him, 
you  will  be  His  crown ;  and  if  you  bring  anybody  to 
Him,  you  will  put  a  crown  upon  His  head.  Even 
you  little  boys  and  little  girls  can  become  jewel- 
gatherers  for  the  Eedeemer's  crown. 

Will  you  try  ? 


Extracts  from  an  ^ttircss  Qibrn  at  an  Annual 
iHrrting  of  tfje  ^ract  Socirtg  in  1S73, 

'  Ake  our  spirits  ever  more  elastic,  or  our  homes  ever 
more  bright,  than  when  we  are  dispensing  to  others 
the  mercies  we  have  received  from  the  Lord  ?  Was 
it  not  in  the  breaking  of  the  bread  that  Jesus  multi- 
plied it  ?  and  then,  "  over  and  above  unto  them  tliat 
had  eaten "  were  there  not  "  twelve  baskets  full "  ? 
Just  so,  is  it  not  in  the  distribution  of  His  gifts  that 
you  may  most  confidently  count  upon  His  smile  ?  and 
are  not  the  outgoings  of  your  Christian  kindness  now 
coming  back  by  a  blessed  reaction  into  your  own 
hearts,  in  a  deeper  and  fuller  and  ever-augmenting 
stream  ? '  .  .  . 

'  The  new  phrases  in  which  many  talk  of  the  grand 
old  doctrine  of  substitution  are  fig  leaves  that  a  fallen 
theology  has  sewed  together  to  hide  its  own  naked- 
ness. Alas  !  that  while  calling  themselves  disciples, 
they  should,  in  a  night  of  their  own  making,  have 
taken  down  our  Lord  from  the  cross,  and  I  know  not 
where  they  have  laid  Him.  Thank  God,  that  amid 
such  subtle,  insidious  scepticism,  your  Society  is  giving 
no   uncertain   sound.      You  adhere  undisguisedly    and 


344  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

unyieldingly  to  the  old  red  crimson  cross  which  stands 
at  the  centre  of  the  nniverse,  and  hard  by  that  cross 
the  empty  sepulchre,  and  with  the  risen  Eedeemer  all 
things  rise.'  .   .  . 

'  There  are  few  fellow-labonrers  I  am  happier  to 
meet  than  one  of  your  tract-distributors,  threading 
her  way  from  one  stair  to  another,  and  knocking  from 
door  to  door.  Instinctively  I  say  "  God  speed  "  to  one 
who  is  so  like  the  symbolical  woman  in  the  gospel, 
lighting  her  candle  and  sweeping  the  house,  and  seek- 
ing diligently  for  the  piece  that  was  lost.  Her  step  is 
too  soft  to  be  heard  by  the  world ;  but  over  every 
handful  of  corn  she  scatters;  she  keeps  pouring  the 
dewy  influence  of  prayer.  It  is  in  the  stillness  of  the 
night  that  the  dew  is  formed  ;  but  when  the  morning 
sun  darts  abroad  his  rays,  the  beautiful  result  is  visible 
on  every  spire  of  grass  and  the  spray  of  every  tree. 
So,  when  the  everlasting  day  breaks  and  the  shadows 
iiee  away,  will  not  some  of  the  sweetest  surprises  of 
glory  be  found  in  similar  resurrections  of  your  "  works 
of  faith  and  labours  of  love "  ?  I  recollect  an  old 
lonely  widow,  whose  hearing  and  eyesigiit  were  failing 
her,  and  who  had  one  of  your  tracts  lying  beside  her- 
When  asked  if  she  was  still  able  to  make  it  out,  "  Oh," 
said  she,  "  I'm  so  thankful  since  they  put  the  tracts 
in  hirj  print !  Yet  it  is  little  use  I  can  make  of  them 
in  ordinary  daylight.  Only  there's  an  hour  or  so  in 
the  afternoon,  when  the  sun  comes  round  and  shines 
in  strong  at  my  little  bole  o'  a  window  there — then  I 


EXTEACTS  FEOM  AX  ADDRESS,  ETC.     345 

pick  up  the  tract,  and  strain  my  eyes  to  catch  the 
words  by  which  I  hope  to  be  saved."  I  wonder 
whether  the  sun,  in  all  his  wide  journeying  from  east 
to  west,  performs  any  nobler  function  than  that  of 
ligliting  such  an  aged  pilgrim  on  to  the  better 
land.'  .  .  . 

'  From  the  moment  a  soul  is  won,  the  value  of  life 
is,  how  much  of  Christ  can  be  put  into  it.'  .  .  . 

'  The  safety  of  the  highest  is  bound  up  with  the 
condition  of  the  lowest,  and  our  country  may  be 
startled  some  day  by  what  will  sadly  rebuke  us  for 
our  neglect  of  means  for  checkiui?  such  sins  as  are 
carrying  poison  into  so  many  hearts,  and  havoc  into 
so  many  homes.  When  a  Christian  friend  was  lament- 
ing the  state  of  things,  and  remarking,  "  We  must 
employ  another  missionary,"  the  answer  given  was, 
"  Better  still,  be  you  the  missionary  yourself." '   .  .  . 

'  I  believe  it  is  face-to-face  converse  that  is  best 
fitted  for  bringing  the  healing  influence  of  the  gospel 
to  bear  on  the  fermenting  mass  of  depravity  around 
us.  The  salt  of  Christian  character  must  come  into 
contact  with  it.  Jesus  touched  the  leper  when  He 
cured  him.  What  we  want  is  more  of  that  touch  of 
brotherliness  and  sympathy.  It  was  not  the  sending 
of  the  prophet's  staff  that  would  do.  He  had  to 
stretch  himself  upon  the  body,  and  then  the  flesh  of 
the  child  waxed  warm.'   .  .  . 

'  In  the  great  firm  of  the  Church  there  are  to  be 
no  sleeping  partners.      In  His  great  atoning  work,  "  of 


346  JAMES    ROBEETSOX. 

the  people  there  were  none"  with  Him.  But  in  the 
ingathering  of  souls,  He  expects  His  people  to  be  all 
with  Him.  To-night  there  has  been  no  lack  of  fuel 
to  feed  the  lire  of  godly  enthusiasm.  But  nothing 
petrifies  the  heart  like  having  our  feelings  stirred,  and 
then  going  away  to  do  nothing.  All  the  glow  of  this 
happy  occasion  will  be  but  a  deceitful  cordial,  unless 
it  be  turned  to  some  practical  purpose  of  more  honest, 
earnest  work  for  souls.  "  Go  out  quickly  and  tell." 
Yes,  quicJdy ;  for  if  we  don't  get  more  hands  to  the 
pumps  the  water  will  gain  upon  us,  and  the  vessel 
will  go  down.  "  Go  out  qidckhj ;  "  for  soon  you  and  I 
will  not  be  here.  We  have  not  to  work  long — what 
need  to  work  well !  Time  is  flying,  and  the  Lord 
coming.  We  must  have  more  work  done  for  Him  ere 
He  comes — something  He  will  be  pleased  to  see  when 
He  comes.' 


*  Hobc  ©ibinc,  all  Hoijc  lExccllmg/ 

Address  at  the  Noonday  Prayer  Meeting  in 
Edinburgh. 

The  key-note  struck  for  us  to-day  is  Loye.  Indeed 
it  was  struck  in  heaven  from  all  eternity,  and  all 
religion  on  earth  is  but  an  echo  of  it.  '  He  first  loved 
us/  therefore  '  we  love  Him.'  And  while  I  quote  a  few 
words  more  from  '  the  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved,' 
may  you  and  I,  dear  friends,  have  John's  place  at  the 
feast  of  gladness — the  very  bosom  of  Jesus — feding 
the  throb  and  catching  the  glow  of  His  heart,  and 
learninG;  love  there  as  John  learned  it :  '  God  is  love.' 
'  We  have  known  and  believed  the  love  that  God  hath  to 
us.'  'Beloved,  if  God  so  loved  us  we  ought  also  to  love 
one  another.'  Words  these  from  which  it  is  plain  that 
religion,  as  a  principle,  is — 

(1.)  Love  from  God  to  man.  Never  do  I  feel  so 
much  at  a  loss,  or  so  thoroughly  dissatisfied  with  any- 
thing that  can  be  said,  as  when  this  love  is  my  theme. 
Oh  for  a  warmer  heart  and  a  louder  song  !  When  Sir 
James  Mackintosh  was  dying,  a  friend  saw  his  lips 
move,  and  when  the  ear  was  put  down,  it  caught  the 


348  JAMES    EOBEETSOX. 

whisper,  '  God — Love — the  very  same.' — Yes,  Love  is 
the  only  word  convertible  with  God.  It  is  not  His 
mere  name,  but  His  nature — His  being — Himself. 
How  is  God  affected  towards  us  ?  His  own  full 
answer  is  given  in  Jesus  dying,  '  the  Just  One  in  the 
room  of  the  unjust.'  God's  hatred  of  sin  is  a  central 
perfection  of  His  character.  If  that  were  wanting,  or 
weak,  we  could  neither  trust  nor  revere  Him,  but  Holy 
Love  is  the  crown  out  of  which  all  His  attributes, 
like  costly  gems,  emit  their  varied  though  equal  lustre. 
Man  loves  what  is  lovely,  but  God  loves  the  un- 
lovely to  make  them  lovely.  There  is  no  foundation 
for  my  love  to  God,  except  the  old  one,  '  Crod  loves 
me.'  There  is  no  proof  that  that  foundation  has  been 
laid,  except  the  old  one,  with  its  triple  emphasis,  '  God 
so  loved,  that  He  loved  the  world  ; ' — '  So  loved  the 
world,  that  He  gave  His  Son  ; ' — '  So  loved,  that  who- 
soever believeth  in  Him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life.'  Think  not  that  Jesus  died  to  pro- 
duce love  in  the  Father's  heart,  love  that  was  not 
there  before.  '  For  the  Father  Himself  loveth  you.' 
'  Hereby  perceive  we  the  love  of  God ; '  but  the  words 
'  of  God'  standing  in  our  translation,  occur  not  in  the 
Greek.  Literally  the  verse  runs,  '  Hereby  perceive  we 
the  lore ' — what  true  love  really  is,  and  can  do  and 
has  done.  God's  omnipotence — it  is  the  arm  of  His 
love.  God's  threatenings — they  are  the  hoarser  voice 
of  His  love.  By  the  grave  of  Bethany,  you  see  love 
weeping.     On  Calvary,  you  see  love  strong  as  death, 


'  LOVE   DIVINE,  ALL    LOVE    EXCELLING.'  349 

yea  stronger.  It  lias  no  match  among  the  deeds  of 
men ;  it  has  no  precedent  among  the  wondrous  ways 
of  God.  He  has  gone  to  the  uttermost  in  nothing  but 
His  love.  What  magnet  can  draw  us,  if  not  that  ? 
What  fire  melt  us,  if  not  that  ? 

If  we  rightly  feel  that  '  God  is  love,'  we  must  feel 
it  to  be  an  essential  part  of  the  description  that  God 
must  love  Himself — that  He  can  do  Himself  no 
wrong  when  His  love  runs  to  meet  and  embrace  His 
prodigal  child.  Where  can  we  get  at  this  feeling  but 
by  going  deep  down  into  the  suretyship  of  Jesus  ? 
There  we  see  Love,  not  stealing  round  by  the  back  of 
a  throne  on  which  Law  is  sleeping.  No,  it  comes  to 
us  under  the  sanction  and  smile  of  law. 

It  is  by  the  awful  lights  of  His  law  that  God 
reveals  the  sweet  vision  of  His  love.  Eternal  love  is 
wedded  to  eternal  law,  and  they  have  found  their 
bridal  home  in  the  cross  of  Christ.  '  He  loved  us,  and 
gave  Himself  for  us,'  a  propitiatory,  expiatory  sacrifice. 
The  barrier  which  guilt  had  erected  between  us  and 
God,  Christ  neither  evaded  nor  rudely  broke  through, 
but  in  the  way  of  that  satisfying  Atonement  He 
righteously  removed  it.  To  any  soul  that  would  fain 
get  into  friendship  with  God,  this  is  the  portal — this 
is  the  passport.  '  All  things  are  now  ready '  on  God's 
side.  The  question  of  law  is  settled,  and  the  gospel 
begins  with  us  after  that — begins  with  the  proclama- 
tion of  forgiveness  full  and  free.  Low  thoughts  of 
this  lie  at  the  root  of  all  our  low  relitiion.      There  is 


350  JAMES    EOBERTSOX. 

only  one  thing  in  which  God  is  said  to  rest,  •'  He  will 
rest  in  His  love ' — in  His  beloved  Son,  in  whom  He  is 
ever  well  pleased.  The  smile  which  greets  Jesus  the 
believino;  sinner  shares,  and  then  there  is  no  one  attri- 
bute  of  God  more  on  his  side  than  another ; — they  all 
breathe  benediction  over  him.  Here  all  true  theology 
begins,  and  only  ends  to  begin  again. 

When  a  mother  was  telling  her  little  ijirl  how  'God 
so  loved '  us,  the  child  looked  up,  and  said,  '  That  can't 
be  true,  no  it  cant,  for  if  that  were  true  cvcryhody 
tvould  he  spcaJdng  about  it.'  Ah !  friends,  how  many 
souls  may  have  stumbled  into  perdition  over  our  silence 
about '  love  so  amazing.'  What  swelling  thoughts  would 
fill  our  breasts,  what  burning  words  would  drop  from 
our  tongues,  did  we  speak  as  we  ought  of  His  kind- 
ness. His  /om??<7-kindness  ;  His  mercy.  His  tender  mercy. 
I  have  no  strings  sweet  enough  to  tell  its  tenderness, 
or  loud  enough  to  tell  its  strength.  Inspiration  itself 
can  find  relief  only  in  adoring  exclamations,  which 
are  among  the  most  welcome  words  of  the  Bible,  for 
they  give  outlet  to  the  fulness  of  the  burdened  heart, 
'  Behold  what  manner  of  love  ! '      '0  the  depth  ! ' 

(2.)  Out  of  love  from  God  to  man  springs  the 
refluent  tide  of  love  from  man  to  God.  It  is  not  clear 
views  of  our  duty  to  God,  but  clear  views  of  God's 
love  in  Christ  to  us,  that  win  us  over  to  new  obedi- 
ence. Tlie  '  bands  of  a  man '  are  the  '  cords  of  love.' 
The  way  to  shine  is  to  be  shone  upon,  and  the  way  to 
love  is  to  be  loved,  and  to  know  that  you  are  loved. 


'  lo\t:  divine,  all  love  excelling.'       351 

For  then  you  are  not  dragged  against  your  will — your 
will  is  won,  and  you  move  on  in  God's  service  not  like 
a  slave  under  the  lash,  but  as  a  happy  child  with  an 
open  bosom  and  a  beaming  face. 

'  Perfect  love  casteth  out  fear.'  In  the  original  of 
that  verse  there  is  an  article  before  the  word  perfect, 
so  that  the  true  meaning  seems  to  be,  '  The  perfect 
love,'  manifested  on  Calvary,  floods  out  fear,  sweeps  it 
away  on  the  crest  of  its  rejoicing  wave.  Summer 
brooks  are  soon  dry,  for  they  owe  their  waters  only  to 
occasional  thunder  showers ;  but  the  stream  which 
issues  from  the  well  of  God's  love  is  ever  flowing. 
Keep  your  mouth  at  this  well,  and  while  you  draw 
your  joy  from  it,  the  Bible  never  teaches  you  to  susj^ect 
you  can  carry  that  joy  too  far. 

We  can  leave  no  man  with  the  apology  for  not 
loving  God,  that  he  has  no  assurance  that  God  loves 
him  with  the  same  love  that  led  Him  to  give  His  Son 
to  die.  The  more  freely  that  we  tell  it,  the  more 
truly  do  we  tell  it.  It  is  the  royal  chariot  in  which 
the  Spirit  loves  to  ride.  Is  it  for  want  of  telling  out 
this  holy  love  in  its  blessed  broadness,  that  conversion 
on  a  large  scale  has  been  so  rare  ?  Unless  the  know- 
ledge of  this  love  be  lodged  in  the  heart  by  the  Spirit's 
power,  that  heart  may  be  tortured,  but  its  '  hurt ' — its 
jealousy  of  God — can  never  be  '  healed,'  so  that  it  may 
feel  at  home  with  God.  During  the  last  two  months 
— when  the  Holy  Ghost  has  been  given  in  so  much 
of   His   teaching   and   transforming   power — had   the 


352  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

wondering  question  been  put  round  among  those  who 
liave  received  salvation,  What  drew  you  ?  what  made 
you  ashamed  of  your  averted  face  ?  the  response  would 
have  been,  The  charm  of  God's  love  believed.  Long 
did  terror  make  us  try  to  hide  our  enmity,  but  now 
love  has  slain  it.  It  has  stamped  upon  sin  the 
broadest,  blackest  l:»rand.  '  How  can  we  do  this  great 
wickedness,'  and  so  wound  our  Best  Friend's  heart, 
and  make  it  bleed  again  ? 

The  more  freely  God's  love  is  revealed,  the  more 
deeply  do  we  feel  our  sin  condemned,  and  being  '  for- 
given much,'  we  '  love  much.'  First  pardoned,  then 
purified,  and  purified  by  being  pardoned,  God's  pardon- 
ing love  believed  becomes  the  sanctifying  love — 
sweetening  the  pulse  of  our  spiritual  being  into  tender 
trust  and  grateful  devotion. 

In  yon  workshop  the  other  men  were  using  their 
tools  so  sluggishly,  and  wearying  for  the  hour  of  dis- 
missal to  strike.  But  after  they  had  rushed  away 
home,  you  might  have  seen  one  youth  remaining,  and 
singing  at  his  work,  and  when  you  asked  the  reason 
why,  he  sweetly  said,  '  Those  others  are  hirelings,  paid 
by  the  hour ;  but  I  have  an  interest  in  the  business 
here ;  it  is  my  father's  business,  and  a  loving  father 
he  has  been  to  me.'  Oh  yes,  it  is  love  that  is  most 
prolific  of  loyal,  devoted  labour.  The  only  way  to 
give  forth  more  visible  graciousness  is,  to  let  in  the 
love  of  Jesus  in  a  deeper,  fuller,  and  ever-augmenting 
stream  ;  and  with   that   love   comes   the  Spirit's  fire, 


'  LOVE    DIVINE,  ALL    LOVE    EXCELLING.'  353 

burning  up  corruption,  and  making  you  bright  with 
the  beauties  of  holiness.  Obedience  is  the  daughter  of 
love — love  the  dauiiihter  of  forgiveness — and  forgive- 
ness  the  daughter  of  God,  born  beneath  the  cross  on 
which  the  dying  Saviour  hung.  There  your  submission 
is  love  kissing  the  rod ;  your  repentance,  love  washing 
the  feet  of  Jesus  with  its  tears  ;  your  zeal  in  winning 
souls,  love  on  fire.  Give  us  more  of  that  hidden  fire, 
and  all  the  rest  will  follow. 

(3.)  One  thing  that  is  sure  to  follow  is  the  circula- 
tion of  more  love  from  Christian  to  Christian,  and  from 
man  to  man.  '  The  fruit  of  the  Spirit '  (not  fruits  but 
fruit,  all  one  cluster  upon  one  stalk) — '  the  fruit  of  the 
Spirit  is  lore,  joy,  peace,'  etc.  AW  those  others  are  but 
the  expansion  of  the  foremost — '  love!  '  Joy '  is  love 
triumphing;  '  Peace,'  love  resting  ;  '  Long-suffering,'  love 
bearing  up  under  the  heavier,  and  '  Gentleness,'  under 
the  lighter,  trials  of  life  ;  '  Goodness,'  love  going  forth 
into  active  usefulness ;  and  '  Faith,'  love  sitting  and 
receiving  back  again  answered  prayer  to  its  own  bosom ; 
'  Meekness,'  love  controlling  the  passions  of  the  mind, 
and  '  Temperance,'  the  same  love  snhcluing  those  of  the 
body.  Sweet  family  of  sister-graces,  these  three — 
'  Faith,  Hope,  and  Love  ' — but  Love  is  '  the  greatest.' 
For  while  you  believe  for  yourself,  and  hope  for  your- 
self, love  makes  you  a  blessing  to  all  around  you. 
Love  most  resembles  God,  and  '  love  never  faileth.' 
'  The  spirit  of  love'  is  always  'the  spirit  of  power' 
when  it  is  '  the  spirit  of  a  sound  mind.' 

z 


354  JAMES   KOBERTSON. 

From  one  loved  cheek  in  your  circle  the  healthy 
colour  is  flying ;  the  hectic  glow  has  taken  its  place. 
Some  foreign  clime  must  be  tried.  But  tell  me — 
lovest  thou  not  the  dear  invalid  more  than  all  your 
domestic  comforts  ?  Yes  ;  and  you  show  it  by  your 
being  ready,  for  her  sake,  to  bear  all  the  annoyances, 
and  expenses,  and  vicissitudes  of  '  travelling  and  taber- 
nacling in  strange  places,  and  among  strange  people.' 
So  Jesus  cuts  down  to  the  very  core  of  the  matter, 
when  He  looks  you  in  the  face,  and  asks,  '  Lovest  thou 
Me  more  than  these  .? '  More  tlian  these,  your  worldly 
gains,  and  all  your  worldly  frivolities.  He  offers  you 
superior  entertainments,  far  sublimer  joys.  "Who 
need  envy  the  pleasures  -of  an  insect,  after  having 
tasted  more  than  the  joys  of  angels,  for — 

*  Never  did  angels  taste  above 
Redeeming  grace  and  dying  love.' 

It  is  where  sacrifice  begins  that  the  proof  of  love 
begins.  Giving  of  one's  surplus  may  be  no  proof  of 
love  at  all.  It  is  for  the  sake  of  your  own  happiness, 
for  the  culture  of  that  love  which  is  the  essence  of  all 
Christian  character,  that  we  ask  you  to  consecrate  your 
souls  and  your  substance  to  the  service  of  Christ's 
glory — not  because  He  has  called  us  to  do  anything 
of  that  sort  to  save  ourselves,  but  just  because  He  has 
saved  us,  and  has  prepared  the  song  for  us  to  sing  for 
ever — 

'  To  Him  that  loved  the  souls  of  men, 
Aud  washed  us  in  His  blood.' 


'  LOVE   DIVINE,  ALL    LOVE    EXCELLING.'        355 

Archbishop  Usher,  on  his  visit  to  Samuel  Piuther- 
ford,  called  love  the  '  dncnth  commandment.'  It  was 
no  flash  of  trivial  fancy,  or  of  eccentric  speech.  For 
is  it  not  verily  a  neio  commandment,  which  enjoins 
love  with  such  a  new  impressiveness,  and  after  such  a 
new  model,  'As  I  have  loved  you '  1  To  love  like  John 
is  a  lofty  prize  to  run  for,  hut  who  can  love  like  Jesus  ! 
If  our  love  be  in  kind  dike  His,  shall  we  not  love 
(jthers  before  they  love  us  ?  And  it  will  :be  no  mere 
matter  of  sentimental  luxury,  but  of  practical  readi- 
ness for  sacrifice.  Did  Jesus  delegate  to  angels  His 
glorious  redemption  deed  ?  Xo,  it  was  His  own 
personal  act ;  and  certainly  the  work  of  all  of  us,  in 
alluring  souls  to  eternal  life,  will  be  most  Christ-like 
work,  when  it  is  wrought  in  face-to-face  converse, 
directly  by  ourselves.  '  You  had  such  an  honour,' 
said  a  mother  to  her  little  daughter,  who  Imd  been 
walking  out  with  an  aged  Christian  professor.  '  You 
liad  such  an  honour  to  walk  so  far  with  one  who  loves 
the  Saviour.'  '  What,'  said  the  child,  '  love  the  Saviour, 
does  he  ?  He  never  spoke  a  word  to  me  about  the 
Lord.'  What  a  sagacious  critic  in  matters  of  consist- 
ency is  a  little  child  !  When  the  aged  friend  heard 
of  it,  it  led  him  more  than  ever  to  seek  opportunities, 
and  to  embrace  such  as  arose  unsought,  for  telling  out 
the  '  old,  old  story  of  Jesus  and  His  love! 

Surely  sucIl  ct  time  as  this  is  the  time  for  our  learn- 
ing to  love  as  Christ  loves,  by  loving  cdl  the  disciples, 
just  because  they  belong  to  Christ.     Does  not  feeling 


356  JAMES    ROBERTSON. 

heart  to  heart  make  us  wonderfully  apt  to  see  eye  to 
eye  ?  Is  not  tlie  motto  on  the  family  arms — '  By 
love  serve  one  another  '  ?  Let  the  love  of  Christ,  the 
most  sublime  of  all  motives,  and  the  glory  of  Christ,  the 
most  sublime  of  all  ends,  become  the  ruling  principles 
of  action  ;  then  who  can  live  for  mere  sect  or  party  ? 
Who  can  help  living  magnanimously  for  man  and 
for  God  ?  Has  it  been  common  to  say.  When  the 
Millennium  comes  we  shall  have  Christian  love  ?  Shall 
we  not  rather  put  it  thus  :  AVhen  the  visible  love  of 
the  Brotherhood  falls  on  the  world  with  the  force  of 
a  demonstration  that  the  Father  hath  sent  the  Son — ■ 
tlie  Millennium  is  on  us  befo're  we  are  aware. 

'  He  that  dwelletli  in  love  dindlcth  in  God,  and  God 
in  him.'  IMagnificent  Home  of  love  !  God  our  home  ! 
Yea,  wonder  rises  upon  wonder,  that  we  should  be 
God's  home  !  From  such  a  Heaven  Iiere,  it  cannot  be 
far  to  go  to  the  heaven  '  over  there ' — where  they 
bathe  in  an  ocean  of  love,  and  soar  in  an  atmosphere 
of  love,  singing  as  they  soar  the  new  song  to  the  new 
tune  of  love  eternally.  '  Oh,  sing  of  His  mighty  love  ! ' 
'  Bless  the  Lord,  ye  His  angels,'  for  all  His  love  to  vs 
— to  mc — I  cannot  as  I  would — ye  can  as  ye  should 
— '  Bless  the  Lord,  ye  His  angels  !  Bless  the  Lord, 
0  my  soul  ! ' 


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